Seahawks could make bigger push for Manning

We’ve heard why Peyton Manning would be a good fit for the
Arizona Cardinals with numerous arguments. The Cards have
an indoor stadium, a team where he can easily take the
reins and lead, and some guy named Larry Fitzgerald.

However, many other teams could be likely candidates, and
a former Manning backup believes the Seattle Seahawks
could be a great spot for him.

Brock Huard, a former NFL quarterback and current sports
talk host on ESPN 710 AM in Seattle, shared his opinion
with Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo that the
Seahawks are in just as close a race to get Manning as the
Cardinals are.

“Fortunately in Seattle, they are not entangled in any
way, shape and form from a quarterback situation,” Huard
said. “Charlie Whitehurst is done; his two year deal is
up. Tarvaris [Jackson] makes good back up money, about $4
million, but that’s not guaranteed for next year.”

The Cardinals still have four more years on the $63
million contract they gave Kevin Kolb last summer, of
which $21 million is guaranteed. Arizona also has to
decide who the starting quarterback would be after John
Skelton showed his potential while taking over for an
injured Kolb last season.

But, all of this could come down to money, which Huard
said Cards ownership will not give up.

“When [Seahawks owner] Paul Allen wants something, he gets
it typically, or at least his people will go at it full
guns a blazing,” Huard said. “And if he says, ‘I want Pete
Carroll, and I’ll pay him $7 million a year for seven
years, and that’s what it takes, fine. If I need to fire
my GM in Portland after a year, fine. If I need to get
involved in this thing and throw my weight around, I’ll do
it.'”

Cards owner Bill Bidwill is known to be careful with the
team’s budget, unlike Allen who is willing to take risks
with the Seahawks and his other team, the NBA’s Portland
Trail Blazers.

Huard also noted that Seattle is a geographically removed
city, which would allow Manning to focus on a new season
coming back from his neck injury.

And while the Seahawks don’t have a wide receiver like
Fitzgerald, Huard said Sidney Rice has room to improve.
Rice had a great season in 2009 with Minnesota catching
passes from Brett Favre, which led to Rice’s only Pro-Bowl
appearance.

“He was really, really good that year with a quarterback
that could actually give him the ball and put him into a
position to win,” Huard said.

Everyone has an opinion about where Manning should go, but the most important opinion is his.

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