QB Peyton Manning in fresh hopes of returning to NFL as Indianapolis Colts keep a mum-NFL News
A new wave of optimism on recovery and return of quarterback, Peyton Manning, has emerged in the American professional football circles following some recent media reports that claimed the player has been gaining strength in the throwing arm consistently
since the neck surgery in September 2011.
Some sections of media have quoted anonymous sources privy to the progress the player has made since the last procedure to be hundred per cent certain about his return most likely in the 2012-13 NFL season.
Interestingly, Peyton Manning has remained in the headlines throughout the last and this year over his ability to play football again.
Meanwhile, a few days are left to March 08, 2012, the deadline for $28 million bonus payment to the player. If he gets the bonus, his contract with the team will be activated for the next four years.
In case Colts deny the payment, the player is set to join the unrestricted free agency after the trade deadline of March 13, 2012.
It is not clear where the ties between Manning and Colts will go, as in spite of the claims by his employer, Jim Irsay, of working on an acceptable solution, a decision on their future courses is much awaited.
Apparently, the owner is not as convinced about Manning’s recovery as some other people around him, and probably the owner is not willing to take the chances by giving him the bonus payment.
Jim has an opportunity to either re-sign the quarterback off the free agency in the future or go into negotiations seeking an extension in the March 08 bonus deadline.
Peyton has also offered to get his deal redone with the possibility of an extension in the bonus payment date on the cards.
Irsay has not spoken about any of the available choices and only commented that he is willing to take Manning back if the player is ready to make a call towards solution of the pending issues.
With the latest hopes of his recovery and looming bonus payment deadline, it is expected that the owner will come up with a solution within the next few days.
The lapse of the deadline will not leave any favourable choice for Irsay. However, this could be a win-win situation for both sides as both of them have alternatives.
In case of being release, Manning has great prospects of joining any other team as a number of them are eagerly awaiting him.
Colts also have an option of signing the draft star quarterback, Andrew Luck, who has been rated atop of the current year’s prospective recruitments.
So, both sides stand benefiting as well as losing from a decision of parting ways in the future, which remains a possibility.
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