The Peyton Manning Sweepstakes is Heating Up

It is safe to say that whoever happens to sign Peyton Manning will at least become a serious contender for the Super Bowl next season if not the favorite. So no wonder there have been a few teams jumping through hoops in order to attain the services of the former Indianapolis Colts QB.

If we can believe everything we read online it appears that Peyton has narrowed his choices down to the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, and now the San Francisco 49ers.

There hasn't been any word yet coming from the Tennessee and San Francisco camps, but the Denver Broncos have made it known that they are serious. According to reports in the Denver Post, the Broncos offered Peyton a five-year, $90 million contract on Friday.

The details of the contract are not known at this time, but it's been said that Denver is using the deal that Manning signed with the Colts last season (five years, $90 mill) as a working point.

It had been believed that the race was down to just Denver and Tennessee, but then the San Francisco 49ers came out of literally nowhere to be named a contender. The move makes some sense for the 49ers. They have one of the best defenses in the league, one of the best running backs, and a pretty decent group of wide receivers (especially if Randy Moss pans out).  What's interesting here is that no one really seemed to know they were in the mix?

Come on Media? First you somehow missed one of Peyton's other neck surgeries (remember how we all thought there had been three and then suddenly there was a fourth?); now you missed one of the biggest name free agents in the history of professional sports working out for someone? Come on man!

The 49ers could really shake things up here. Of the three teams they are the one best suited to possibly hit the Super Bowl with the addition of Manning. It will be interesting to see how much money they throw at Manning and whether it is enough. Bud Adams's reaction to all this should be classic as well.

Rumor has it that Manning plans on making a decision sometime early next week.