Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reportedly intends to play in 2016 even if it's not in Denver, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Reports have already surfaced that backup quarterback Brock Osweiler could play himself into the starting role, with Manning sitting out because of injury. Osweiler led the Broncos to a 17-15 victory over the Bears on Sunday, and played very well, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Broncos are now 8-2 on the season, and with Manning likely sitting out for some time, Osweiler will try to continue to prove himself on the field. The question will be if Manning gets healthy, will he be able to return to the starting lineup if Osweiler continues to win? Manning is dealing with a foot, rib, and shoulder injuries, and is a 39-year-old quarterback who is pretty banged up.
Manning will sit down with head coach Gary Kubiak to discuss his health and his status for this upcoming week, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold. Kubiak would not name Osweiler as the starter for this upcoming week against the New England Patriots, and reiterated that when Manning is "healthy and ready to go, he's our quarterback," via ESPN.
Manning is reportedly "absolutely determined" to get himself healthy, according to Florio. He is doing all he can to overcome the plethora of injuries he is dealing with including a partially torn plantar fascia. Manning reportedly believes his struggles are related to the new offensive system under head coach Gary Kubiak, and it is not impossible to believe Manning could be somewhere else next season running his own offense. First Manning will need to get healthy, and prove that he can stay on the field without suffering another injury. The future Hall of Fame quarterback has proven doubters wrong before, but father time eventually gets to everyone.
