While most of the attention surrounding Peyton Manning this offseason has to do with where he will land if and when the Indianapolis Colts release their franchise icon, none of it matters if the quarterback cannot regain his ability to throw from surgery on nerves in his neck. That said, Bob Kravitz has some good news from Florida today via Twitter that Manning is showing improvement.
Specifically Kravitz, a writer for the Indy Star, writes, “Hearing from multiple sources that Peyton is in Florida and throwing much much better.” Those are vague statements so there’s no way to take anything to the bank there and cement expectations that he will be available and ready to play. But as free agency nears, teams are going to need to know that Manning is worth the investment or else they are stuck in the same position that Jim Irsay has been.
Manning still has several months to go before the regular season begins, so time is on his side if progress is being made. If the nerves simply aren’t responding, then there’s nothing anyone can do. However, Kravitz’s report bodes well for teams like the Dolphins, Redskins, Chiefs and any other team reportedly interested in his services. If he’s going to get better, it will be the most interesting offseason in recent NFL history.