Peyton Manning officially decided to ride off into the sunset, informing the Denver Broncos on Sunday that he will retire.
The announcement came four weeks to the day after winning the second Super Bowl title of his 18-year NFL career, and will clear $19 million in salary cap room for the Broncos. Manning spent the past four seasons with Denver after 14 with the Indianapolis Colts, and is almost certain to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in five years.
Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway said Manning earned the right to delay his decision and enjoy the Super Bowl 50 victory. However, with the new league year set to begin at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the clock was ticking on the Broncos receiving an answer from Manning, as reports swirled that he may have been interested in playing at least one more season, even if it meant doing so with another team.
With Manning’s retirement, the Broncos reportedly have offered backup quarterback Brock Osweiler a three-year contract worth more than $45 million. Unless the sides reach a new deal, Osweiler will become a free agent Wednesday.
Manning turns 40 on March 24 and will retire as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940) and quarterback regular-season wins (186, tied with Brett Favre).
Manning, who joined the Broncos as a free agent on March 20, 2012 after spending the first 14 years of his NFL career with the Colts, is the only five-time Most Valuable Player in NFL history.
—Wide receiver Andre Johnson said there is “no question” he will play in 2016.
Speculation about Johnson’s future arose with the 35-year-old coming off a disappointing season with the Indianapolis Colts in which he caught just 41 passes for 503 yards and four touchdowns. The team informed Johnson that he won’t be back with them next season.
The 13-year veteran spent his first 12 seasons with the Houston Texans and has caught 1,053 career passes for 14,100 yards and 68 touchdowns.
—Linebacker James Laurinaitis is scheduled to meet with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday and Tuesday, according to a report by ESPN.
Laurinaitis was released by the Los Angeles Rams last month, and has also visited with the New Orleans Saints in advance of the opening of free agency on Wednesday.
Paul Worrilow led the Falcons with 95 tackles from his middle linebacker position last season, but is a pending restricted free agent.
—The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a one-year deal with defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis, according to multiple reports. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Ellis was a third-round pick by the New York Jets in 2011 and played in 47 games for the franchise. He signed with the New York Giants last offseason but did not appear in any games and hooked on with the Vikings in October, going on to playing nine games as a reserve.
—Skipping the sniggling details, we learned Saturday that University of Cumberland receiver/returner Wendall Williams is fast. Not record fast, as first reported, but seriously fast, as revealed by his various 40-yard times at the NFL’s Minnesota Regional Combine.
He is somewhere between 4.19 and 4.38 seconds in 40 yards. And he had an impressive vertical jump of 45 inches. So the 5-10, 185-pound receiver/rusher/returner from University of the Cumberland deserved at least his 15 minutes of fame.
It doesn’t really matter that his electronic 40-yard time was 4.32 seconds, well off the Indianapolis Combine record of 4.24 set by East Carolina running back Chris Johnson in 2008. Even if we allow Regional Combines and the Indianapolis Combine to merge records, that 4.32 is in a five-way tie for 13th place, hardly a record.
Delving into NFLDraftScout.com’s records, Williams’ 4.19 time is not even the best among hand held times in Indianapolis Combine history. That goes to Dri Archer, a running back from Kent State, whose 4.16-second time is best among all hand-held times in combine history, although his announced time was 4.26 (electronic).
—Former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle has been arrested for the sixth time in the past 17 months
Randle, 24, was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail in Kansas at 1:44 a.m. Sunday for failure to appear in court. He is being held on $150,000 bail.
Randle posted bail last week after being charged with three counts of aggravated battery, one count of drug possession (marijuana) and one count of criminal damage to property after he was arrested in Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 21.
The Cowboys released Randle in early November reportedly due in part to his involvement in sports gambling. Randle has denied the allegation.