Now that football season is over, there is only thing to do: look at next season. When you are a Miami Dolphins fan, that’s pretty much all you can do. It feels like forever ago when they went a shocking 11-5 and knocked the Jets and the Patriots away from the playoffs (that was a good time). That was when Soprano was relevant, and our Wildcat was replacing the flaw of us not having much of a quarterback at the helm. Then, the Wildcat started disappearing from the playbook and we desperately tried being a run-of-the-mill run-n-gun clichéd football team. We tried becoming like every other football team; a team whose sole focus is getting a strong quarterback to throw us some touchdowns and lead us to victories.
One little problem, we’ve been quarterback-cursed since Marino, as many hopeful talents just never delivered. The Dolphins have also been unlucky with the injuries, but our biggest flaw was that we didn’t continue being a unique squad with a different offensive mindset. Here’s a fun little secret: the NFL has trouble defending College Football play or anything different. The recent Patriots team was a great example as a mediocre team made the Super Bowl because tight ends suddenly became throwing targets, and everyone else struggled to adjust to that. If Gronkowski had been healthy against the Giants, we would have had a totally different ballgame. But back to the Dolphins and losing their identity as a scrambling running squad that likes to mix it up a little. We can get some of that energy and fun back if we perform a simple trade. Well, not simple, but one that can result in the Dolphins becoming a dominant team again. Hint: It involves Peyton Manning. Sort of.
The Colts need help, desperately. Their defense stinks, they have no offense, the offensive line crumbles like cookies in milk, and they just don’t have a leader or a go-to man. They are getting Andrew Luck unless they firmly believe in making sure their team never ever wins again. Guess what, Luck and Manning cannot work together, not happening. Not saying either is a prick, but Manning wants another Super Bowl ring and his time is running out. Andrew Luck will probably want to run this team immediately ala Cam Newton-style. The more time Peyton Manning spends as the leader of the Colts, the more hindering of progress will occur to Luck. Manning has to go, most unfortunately. In order to move forward, the Colts must part ways with the main player that has made them relevant in the last 10-12 years.
The Dolphins have been interested in Manning for a while now, as he is a very valuable asset despite his rising age. If Peyton Manning has a good offensive line, then he can still do some damage. In the trade market, he’s worth a couple good defensive players and whatnot. Teams that he would fit well with: Dolphins, Chargers, Jets, 49ers, and lastly the other team involved with my dream trade—the Denver Broncos.
Ah, the Broncos. John Elway would probably salivate over the possibility of Peyton joining the Mile High city. And he hates Tim Tebow with an absolute passion that can be heard underneath his few words of encouragement. Even if Tebow improves slightly as a passer (and more as an Act of God) he will still look mediocre in Elway’s eyes. And the coaching staff also would much rather see someone else running the show—they even picked the pitiful Kyle Orton over Tebow in the earlier part of the season. So here’s what we have now: the Dolphins need a quarterback, the Colts need help, and the Broncos want to part ways with Tebow as quietly and swiftly as possible.
Now comes the magic: the Dolphins should trade a few draft picks (we usually waste them anyway) and a few players for Peyton Manning. Then the Miami Dolphins should trade Peyton Manning to the Denver Broncos for Tim Tebow straight-up. A Manning-for-Tebow trade wouldn’t work since the Colts will have Luck. But if the Dolphins grab that playing card, they have a very good hand to deal. None of the three teams will have to give up too much, and since they are all in different divisions there will be minimal conflict of interest.
Everyone wins here: the Colts get a few building block pieces to support Andrew Luck and eliminate the Manning contract. The Dolphins get Tim Tebow, whom is one of the better running quarterbacks in the NFL and will do wonders with a newly-formed Wildcat offense—plus it will improve a dying fanbase. The Denver Broncos will have their veteran quarterback that Elway and co. prefers over everything else—plus it won’t piss off the fanbase too badly that they eliminated Tebow. Tim Tebow wins because he will be back in Florida where he grew up and studied, and will definitely play for a group of people that truly madly deeply love him. Gotta love the SEC pride. Peyton Manning wins because he will get to play in an easier division plus will get plenty of protection and a larger window of opportunity to make the playoffs.
This trade may not happen, but the possibility is definitely there, and I don’t see any negatives coming from all this. The Colts and Dolphins have nothing to lose, since they are staring at the bottom of their division regardless. The Broncos, despite winning the division, still needs plenty of room to grow to compete with the yearly juggernauts Steelers, Ravens, and Patriots---and will have that boost by getting a hungry future Hall of Famer. While three-team NFL trades are definitely rare, especially when compared to the other professional leagues, but this is one with few strings attached, few drawbacks, and little sacrifice. Best of all, all three teams improve, especially my Miami Dolphins. I’ve said in the past that we should have gotten Tebow by any means necessary and should still try to get him, and this trade will definitely make the dream a reality.
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