Jeff Saturday will visit Denver as a free agent. (Matt Stamey-US PRESSWIRE)

When Josh McDaniels came to Denver, the Broncos started to look like New England Patriots. With Peyton Manning arriving in Denver, will the team begin to look like a former version of the Indianapolis Colts? It’s very likely.

Manning’s longtime center Jeff Saturday is scheduled to visit the Broncos in the near future according to Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network. Saturday has been in the league since 1998 and he’s played with Manning for over a decade.  If there were ever twins conjoined at the hip in the NFL, it would be Manning and Saturday. You can’t put a price on trust.

Along with Saturday, the Broncos will probably re-sign longtime Colt and former Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley. With slot receiver Eddie Royal going to San Diego, the Broncos need someone like Stokley. Stokley has been living in Castle Rock and he’s a guy that could run routes blindfolded for Manning.

Another option for the Broncos is to bring in tight end Dallas Clark. They need some experience at the position and no tight end is as accustomed to catching balls from Manning as Clark is. Clark had 100 receptions for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009.

Finally, Joeseph Addai is a free agent running back. He had 1,000+ yard seasons in his first couple years in the league. He would be a nice addition to Willis McGahee and a guy who knows “Peyton’s offense.”

Except for Saturday, these additions are guys that the Broncos could sign without blowing up their bank account. Checks should be flying soon.

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Peyton Manning (left) speaks during a press conference to announce his release from Indianapolis. The Colts decision to cut Manning could be a big gain for the Broncos. (US Presswire)

It’s never boring in Broncos Country and this week was no different. Denver was once again making national headlines as they made a serious run at free agent superstar quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning became a free agent last week when he was cut by the Indianapolis Colts after 14 years. Most people, myself included, thought that Denver would not be a major player in the Manning sweepstakes. We couldn’t have been more wrong.

The Broncos not only pursued Manning, they quickly became one of his leading suitors and were the first team to get him for a recruiting visit. The Manning watch built up throughout the weekend, and last night Denver Sportscaster Vic Lombardi went so far as to tweet that the Broncos are “95% confident” they will sign Manning. Does this mean that it is a done deal? Of course not. Does it mean that excitement and debate is at an all-time high in Broncos Country? Absolutely!

Most of the controversy surrounding the possible signing of Manning centers on Tim Tebow. There isn’t a more polarizing figure in sports, so naturally any story involving him is equally polarizing. There is a hard-line contingent of Tebow supporters who want nothing more than for him to be quarterback and they are up in arms over the possibility of signing Manning. At this point, I believe that contingent of Broncos Country has lost their objectivity.

Make no mistake about it, I love Tim Tebow. If you go back and read my articles from the 2011 season, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who supported Tebow as ardently as I did. He led the Broncos to a great year and provided an excitement in Broncos Country that has been missing for a long time. Denver won the AFC West title and a playoff game for the first time since 2005, and he revitalized the organization and put them back on the league map. This is a team on the rise for the first time in several years, and most fans believe the dark days of 2010 are behind us to stay. There are a lot of people to thank for this turnaround, including John Elway, but Tebow deserves a large share of the praise.

Yet, with all that said, Denver is still a young team that has a lot of work to do if they want to contend for a championship. Moreover, a lot of that work needs to be done by Tebow himself. He has to improve measurably as a passer if he is going to take the Broncos offense to the next level. I do believe that he can be an effective quarterback in this league, but I also realize that he has a long way to go to become elite.

Many of the fanatical Tebow supporters believe that pursuing Manning is an indictment on Tebow by the organization. That couldn’t be further from the truth. It simply boils down to the fact that in the rare instance when an all-time great quarterback is available as a free agent, the Broncos have to look into it and do their due diligence. They would be doing a disservice to the fans otherwise. The main goal after all, is being the very best they can be at every single position.

The bottom line is this: Peyton Manning will make the Broncos a Super Bowl contender immediately, period. The Broncos will simply be a better team in 2012 with Manning behind center. I know he is coming off a major injury, I know he is going to be 36 years old soon, and I know there is no guarantee he can get back to 100%. However, he still makes the Denver Broncos better. In a league that is absolutely driven by the quality of your quarterback, taking this risk is worth it. Denver would automatically become the favorite in the AFC West and a Super Bowl window would open up. A legitimate Super Bowl window is priceless, and teams need to take advantage of that opportunity when it arises. It has also been reported that Manning will be willing to write his contract to help protect the team that signs him financially. He essentially comes with his own insurance policy! This will ease the risk on the Broncos and makes signing him even more worthwhile.

Speaking of finances, some critics believe that Denver should spend their money on several other marquee free agents in order to fill multiple holes rather than use it on Manning. While it’s true that a guy like Peyton Manning won’t come cheap, the Broncos are currently more than $40 million under the salary cap. So not only do they have the spending power available to outbid other suitors for Manning, but they will certainly have a pile of cash left over to go after additional free agents. And if there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that sports stars like to play together. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Broncos manage to sign Manning, Denver will automatically become THE free agent destination in the NFL. He could be the first of several impact players to head to the Rockies. Guys like Mario Williams, Dallas Clark, LaRon Landry, Reggie Wayne, and Vincent Jackson would all at least take a look at what’s going on in Denver. The possibilities are endless.

In a perfect world, Tim Tebow would stay in Denver and learn under Manning in the event he becomes a Bronco. Tim could not only work on his mechanics and skills, but he could improve mentally and get an education from one of the best to ever play the game. That essentially is what Aaron Rodgers did in Green Bay, and that seems to have worked out just fine. Unfortunately, the word from several outlets is that Tebow would not remain in Denver if Manning comes aboard. He understandably is shaken from this whole ordeal and would most likely want to move on. Denver would probably trade him for picks to help bring in more talent. This outcome would be disappointing, especially since I have cheered so hard for Tim Tebow and am grateful for his work as a Denver Bronco. Nevertheless, the only thing a sports fan can truly ask of their team is that they seriously try and win the Super Bowl, and signing Peyton Manning is an indication that the Broncos want to contend NOW. John Elway believes this move is for the best, and I for one agree with him.

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By the time I had finished my first beer, the Colts had a 21-0 lead over Denver. At that point it started to look like a decisive blowout that would require turning the T.V. off and watching paint dry for better entertainment. Credit has to be given the Broncos defense, however, for figuring out how to stop the Colts on offense. After the initial offensive burst, the Broncos held Peyton Manning to 3-18 passing and forced him into 3 INTs until the final drive of the game. Brain Dawkins had 2 of those picks while Darcel McBath got the other one. 

On offense, the Broncos managed to score 16 consecutive points, getting to within 5 points with 10 minutes left in the game. It was the Baby T.O. show that kept the Broncos in the game. Brandon Marshall broke the real T.O.’s record for most catches in a game with 21 receptions for 200 yards and 2 TDs. Every ball that left Kyle Orton’s hands went directly to Marshall. It almost looked like a game of catch in the backyard. Who’s asking for Jay Cutler now?  Credit Marshall for working for those yards after the catch. He’s definitely proving that “The Beast” is an appropriate nickname for his 6’4”, 230 lb. frame. Even the best tacklers in the league have trouble bringing him down on the first try.

It was after Marshall’s 2nd TD catch that the Broncos looked like they had a shot. Unfortunately, Manning and the Colts moved the ball downfield with ease to hit none other than Dallas Clark for his 3rd TD reception. That was the drive that ate 7 minutes off the clock and pretty much inserted the pin into the Broncos’ already deflating balloon.

It appeared that Josh McDaniels was thinking along the same lines as the Texans when he spread the defensive coverage to the sides of the field to leaving Clark open in the middle. It was Clark who picked up a lot of those big third down conversions and then had a halo over his head in the endzone where Manning could easily find him. It will be interesting to see if anyone can find anything to stop this offense.

A lot of people have criticized McD for his decision to defer taking the ball first when the Broncos won the coin toss at the beginning of the game. Personally, I agree with his decision only because they were playing in Indy. Had they been at Invesco, I suspect he would’ve taken the ball first to get the crowd and offensive momentum on the Broncos side. Manning isn’t one of those players who shuts down after a score by the other team to start the game. If anything it puts fire in his belly. McD did his research and found that the team who kicks off in the first half typically has the final possession in that half. Think about it - with a score to end the half, carrying that momentum into halftime along with the guarantee that you’re getting the ball back to start the 2nd half is huge. Momentum shifts usually happen at that stage of the game anyway, and it would’ve been perfect with Manning on the bench.

There’s no doubt that the Broncos could’ve played better on both sides of the ball. They were going up against a great team, however. No one expected them to win that game, yet they were within striking distance at the end of the game. Adjustments will be made by the coaching staff and you can guarantee a fired up crew next week against Oakland. This is the final push – the time when minds and bodies are tested, when the post season can become reality, and a playing far into January becomes the goal. These next 3 games are must wins. Games that can extend the season, games that you work for year round. Now is the time to really go to work!