After many years away from the City of Angels, the Rams are officially going back to Los Angeles. But apparently, those headlines alone aren’t enough for them. The Rams right now lack any real star power, and a move to a city like L.A. would certainly hype the need for a superstar player on the roster. If you believe the rumors, Denver Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning is one of those superstars they’ve got their eye on.
It would certainly be a bold move, but it would also be a ridiculous move.
On the one hand, I get it. Manning has been a high-profile, high-powered stud passer for almost the entirety of his career. Having Manning as the Rams’ quarterback for a year would be a pretty big splash for a team that needs exactly that.
On top of that, I don’t think anyone in St. Louis has stomached the stink that was the combination of Nick Foles and Case Keenum. To say the state of the quarterback position on the Rams’ roster is lacking, is an understatement. An upgrade there is quite possibly the Rams’ biggest need, and getting out from either of them as their starter is key.
But, and this is a big but, the idea of Manning in L.A. is absurd because Manning is cooked. He’s done. Watching him gut his way through the Super Bowl was admirable, but did you ever think you’d see a Manning-led game where Manning didn’t have a huge effect on the game? I don’t know about anyone else, but for me it was surreal seeing him barely be able to manage the offense. This was the guy who had laser-like accuracy and threw perfect passes like it was second nature in the past. But he was running on fumes this season.
His name would have far more pop that his arm would at this point. Any headlines Manning did bring with him to California would be soon washed away by the headlines wondering why he’s still on the field. And just imagine the media if that happened and the Rams tanked their first season. Bringing Manning in is just a huge risk in the long-term for a short-term boost. The Rams are going to be in L.A. for a while and there’s a decent stockpile of talent there; they’ve got time to make their mark.
Besides, Manning has nothing left to play for now. He’s got his second championship, his body is breaking down on him, and he’s got any number of lucrative money-making opportunities just waiting for him. Whether it’s a front office, commercial spokesperson or TV analyst Manning can make many more millions without risking his body any more. At nearly 40 years old, that’s got to sound like heaven to him at this point. At the least, it’s much better than slogging through one more year in a new city and new players to click with.
The Rams would be smarter to make their name the old school way, by drafting well and fielding a consistently competitive team. And Manning would be wiser to go out now while he’s on top and while he’s still in one piece. They both need to leave this rumor as something to talk about, and nothing more.
