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Peyton Manning came to an agreement Wednesday with the Denver Broncos on a pay cut that reduces his 2015 base salary from $19 million to $15 million. The $4 million pay cut was done to provide more cash for the Broncos to do business on the free agent market, which opens on Tuesday. Could the $4 million extra in cap room be exactly what the Broncos need to keep tight end Julius Thomas in Denver?
The Broncos were able to keep Manning’s favorite target, Demaryius Thomas, for the 2015 season by slapping him with the franchise tag. Retaining Julius Thomas should be of near-equal importance to the Broncos, as he’s quickly become one of the elite tight ends in football since Manning joined the team in 2012. If the Broncos and Thomas are unable to come to an agreement, it would be a huge hit to their Super Bowl hopes. You have to think Manning is willing to do just about anything to keep his second-favorite target around for another season.
There’s a very good chance 2015 is the last season of Manning’s career. No matter what happens from this point on, the Denver Broncos quarterback is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the top three or five quarterbacks in the history of football. Manning’s earned more than enough money throughout his career and with his final days in football creeping closer, winning another Super Bowl is likely the only thing on his mind.
Tom Brady now has four Super Bowl rings to Manning’s one. Manning and Brady have been rivals ever since they both rose to prominence in the early 2000s and their careers have been compared to one another ever since. There’s no doubt in my mind that the four to one Super Bowl count eats at Manning every day.
Seth Lassen is a writer for RantSports. Add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @Seth_Lassen.
