3-Wide: Should Peyton Manning call it a career?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Should Peyton Manning call it a career?
David P. Woods: No. Even with what looks to be a rapidly-deteriorating body, Manning is crafty enough to produce top-15 quarterback numbers and get his team back into the playoffs. With a continued focus on improving the defense and running game, it remains well within the realm of possibility for him to lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl title as a game manager. There's also the financial incentive to return. Manning has always cared about getting top dollar, and $19 million is too much to leave on the table. He cares about accolades, too, and a Derek Jeter-esque "retirement tour" may appeal to him.
Caitlyn Holroyd: Manning clearly wasn't himself over the last month of the season, but that likely had more to do with the quad injury he sustained in Week 15 than anything else. Even with his leg problems, he was able to lead the Broncos to victory in six of their last eight regular-season games. The biggest question facing him right now is whether he can stay healthy for an entire season. If he thinks he can, he should absolutely return. If not, maybe it's time to consider retirement. But I'm not convinced the sun has set on Manning's career just yet.
Michael Amato: Yes. Anything short of Super Bowl victory at this point will only damage his legacy. Manning has accomplished everything he can and many already view him as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. With each playoff loss the critics will just pick away at his place among the all-time greats. There's also his health to be concerned about. Manning clearly lost arm strength this season and has had multiple neck surgeries. After setting the all-time touchdown mark, it's best to just ride off into the sunset and enjoy his place in history.
Who do the Cowboys need to keep more, Dez Bryant or DeMarco Murray?
Woods: They need to find a way to keep both, but if they must choose then Bryant needs to be the top priority. Murray is an exceptional talent, but it's reasonable to expect any decent running back to be effective behind that beastly offensive line. It's also reasonable to expect Murray to never match his 2014 numbers. Including playoffs, he finished with 436 carries in 2014. You never recover from a workload like that.
Holroyd: Both players had a phenomenal 2014 campaign, but if you're looking at it from a long-term perspective, Bryant gets my vote. In each of the past three seasons, he played in all 16 games and finished with 1,200 receiving yards or more. Murray, on the other hand, has missed 11 games due to injury over the course of his four-year career and plays a position that's becoming less and less valuable in today's NFL. If you're the Cowboys, do you really want to be investing millions in a player with a history of injuries? Probably not.
Amato: They need to keep both guys in the fold, and although many will argue Bryant is more important, you can make a strong case for Murray. Bryant is a spectacular talent, but the Cowboys were toiling in mediocrity until they started feeding the rock to Murray. In the three seasons prior to 2014, Murray totaled 542 carries and the Cowboys never won more than eight games. This season, including the playoffs, he carried it more than 400 times and took all of the pressure off Tony Romo and a below-average defense. Running Murray behind that offensive line is the Cowboys' recipe for success. If they go back to relying heavily on the passing game, Dallas will once again be watching the playoffs on television.
Is it time for Larry Fitzgerald to leave the Cardinals?
Woods: No. That time came four years ago, when he chose to forego free agency and sign a mega-extension with the Cardinals. Fitzgerald is no longer a difference-maker and he may struggle to convince a Super Bowl contender he's worth the money he'll likely demand. Instead, he should recommit to the Cardinals - at a greatly reduced salary - and finish his Hall of Fame career as one of the few players to play for only one team in his career.
Holroyd: Fitzgerald is coming off the second-worst season of his NFL career, so a change of scenery might do him well. He also carries a hefty $23.6-million cap hit for 2015. That being said, general manager Steve Keim told reporters in December that the Cardinals have already factored Fitzgerald's cap number into their budget for next season. While his role has diminished under Bruce Arians, he remains the heart and soul of this team. And with Arizona in a prime position to make another playoff run next season, staying put may not be a bad thing for the veteran receiver.
Amato: No. The only thing left for Fitzgerald to do is win a Super Bowl, and there aren't too many places better than the Cardinals for him to accomplish that right now. Arizona had an incredible run this year, even after several injuries. Bruce Arians did a tremendous job, and if the Cardinals can stay healthy in 2015, they'll have a great shot to compete for a championship. Fitzgerald should restructure his deal and finish his career with one team.