Will this be final year for the 39-year-old Peyton Manning?
No one would blame him if he hung it up after the 2015 season. He's got the Super Bowl ring, the accolades and the records. He's a sure fire first-ballot Hall of Famer. Plus, his body seemed to betray him down the stretch last season and it's fair to wonder how much more punishment he can take.
But instead of speculating on the matter from an outside perspective, how about we dive in for a closer look, perhaps one from Manning's own locker room?
"I think he's got a lot left in the tank," wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said earlier this week. "He's wearing a glove and his spiral is back. He's throwing a good ball. You can tell that the glove is helping him. He didn't wear it this early last year. His arm is not a problem. His ball is accurate. I don't see anything that says this is his last year."
Sanders is likely one of Manning's biggest champions after the wide receiver enjoyed a career year in his first season with the Broncos. He caught 101 passes for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns (all career highs) in 2014. But new head coach Gary Kubiak plans to rely on the run more this season meaning the gaudy passing stats may be tempered just a bit. That doesn't seem to bother Sanders.
"I think a good year this year is winning the Super Bowl, first of all," he said. "Obviously it's not going to be one of those offenses where you have two receivers catch over 100 passes. My goal is to try to get 1,000 yards and help this team win ballgames."
Organized team activities are only just getting underway so Sanders may be getting a bit ahead of himself. But even Manning noted the positive first step for Denver.
"I thought there was a lot of enthusiasm out there and a lot of guys flying around," he said. "I think you've got a lot of guys that are competing for jobs and making impression on coaches. I'm not different. I'm in that category as well."
