Domino Effect in the NFL

Now that Peyton Manning has signed with the Denver Broncos this will start a domino effect throughout the NFL quarterback community. The last time there was such a chain reaction was in 1998. In 1998 just like right now everything was because the Indianapolis Colts were going to draft a Quarterback with the first pick of the NFL draft.

In after a horrible 1997 season the Indianapolis Colts were going to start fresh by taking a quarterback with the top pick. Similar to this season the Colts were looking at two QBs who they thought they could rebuild their franchise around, however that is a story for another time. The Colts knowing that they were going to draft either Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf started a series of moves by trading starting QB Jim Harbaugh to the Ravens which was followed by Vinny Testaverde going from the Ravens to the Jets, Neil O’Donnell from the Jets to the Bengals and filling their need for a starting QB since Boomer Esiason had retired.

Of these previously mentioned players Peyton Manning has pretty much turned in a Hall of Fame career and Vinny Testaverde had some fun moments with the Jets before he moved on. Harbaugh stay was forgettable and O’Donnell was pretty much Jeff Blake’s backup.

Peyton Manning

Let us now take a look at the current free agent merry-go-round, the Colts just like in 1998 are stuck between drafting Andrew Luck out of Stanford and Robert Griffin III from Baylor and just like in ‘98 the Colts have to move their starting QB except this time around they released Peyton Manning. Manning has signed with the Denver Broncos, the top QBs that the Broncos had on their roster at the end of the season are also gone Tim Tebow has been traded to the Jets, now we wait and see between Drew Stanton and Greg McElroy who will be sent packing. MarK Sanchez will probably be the starting QB, but will Tim Tebow even be a quarterback or will the Jets use him as a running back or an H-back. The other former first round pick that the Broncos had on their roster, Brady Quinn has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kyle Orton has gone from the Chiefs to the Dallas Cowboys where he has a pretty good chance of bumping Tony Romo to the bench, with Jon Kitna retiring the chain has come to an end just like in 1998.

Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow

There are of course still many more dominos to fall, we have yet to see all the teams that were in the Peyton Manning hunt fill their need. Matt Flynn has signed with the Seahawks after beeing the backup to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, will the 49ers resign Alex Smith? or will he move to Miami where Chad Henne has left to go to Jacksonville however the Dolphins have brought in David Garrard. The Dolphins lost out on Manning and don't think they have a chance with Smith so they picked up Garrard thus forcing Henne to the Jaguars.