Who’s in Contention for the ‘March for Arch?’

By Jay Holahan

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Every so often a player comes out of college that earns a phrase that the media tabs for them whether it’s “Suck for Luck” or “Tank for Tua,” Arch Manning will be the next collegiate prospect who’s earned that mantra. Who will be the team that lands this “once in a generation” prospect?

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New Orleans Saints

It makes sense. His grandfather played for the Saints from 1971-82 and dealt with the “Aint’s,” a team that never finished above .500, when he was in New Orleans. The Saints are a team that has fallen on some tough times—having not reached the playoffs since 2020 (Drew Brees’ final season). This is a match made in heaven for Saints fans. Now, they drafted Tyler Shough, a 26-year-old quarterback who probably already hit his ceiling, and won’t move the needle for this team.

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Cleveland Browns 

Yes. The Browns did draft Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, but will either be ready to start week one or at any point in this upcoming season? We won’t know yet. If the Browns are that bad, and Sanders/Gabriel does well, then great, they have a quarterback for the future, and won’t rely on an aging Joe Flacco to provide a spark. In all likelihood, neither quarterback works and they are bad enough to draft Manning. Or with the first-round pick they acquired via the Jacksonville Jaguars (used to select Travis Hunter), and the Jags’ finish the year as the worst team in the NFL, then the Browns could be in play for Manning.

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Las Vegas Raiders

Will a reunion with Geno Smith and Pete Carroll provide a foundation for the Raiders’ franchise? That’s the question that Raiders management is currently asking itself. However, Smith is 34-years-old and is in the final year of his $25 million deal he signed in 2023. Now it’s a prove-it year for Smith. His wide receivers are abysmal, and aside from Brock Bowers, the only weapon they have offensively is first-round pick Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders’ defense likely won’t give the offense a chance to win many games. I’d expect the Raiders to be a dark-horse to land Manning.

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Indianapolis Colts

It’s a win-or-go-home year for head coach Shane Steichen. The Anthony Richardson experiment is failing, and the Colts might move on from both at the end of the year. Worst-case scenario, they’re bad enough to land another Manning at No. 1. It would also be fitting that for the third time in 30 years, the Colts are bad enough to draft a quarterback with the top pick (Peyton Manning in 1998 and Andrew Luck in 2012). The Colts might be the darkest horse from these candidates, but I wouldn’t count them out.

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Honorable Mention: New York 

The New York Giants and Jets are in two different states of their football teams. The Jets have some exciting young pieces, but haven’t put it all together. They have a new regime in the front office (general manager Darren Mougey) and head coach (Aaron Glenn). If the Jets’ wheels completely fall off, they could be in play to land a quarterback, and if they’re that bad, it could be Manning.

As for the Giants, they did draft Jaxson Dart, but it’s up in the air whether he has what it takes to be an NFL starter. If head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen can’t get it done this year, the Giants (who have one of the NFL’s toughest schedule) might land the top pick. Owner John Mara will clean house and look to build around Giants’ great Eli Manning’s nephew.