The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Feb. 25, 2012

Rumors when it comes to the NFL are awesome this time of the year.

From which players are going where to those careers that are winding down - there's no such thing as an offseason in this sport.

IT HAS been less than a full month since the New York Giants beat New England in the Super Bowl and some of the top players from college football are heading to Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine, where incoming players are ranked for how fast they can run, how much weight they can lift and how they do on a test that has nothing to do with scoring a touchdown.

The season hadn't even ended before the biggest story of the offseason had began - where is Peyton Manning going to play next?

All this and it still might not be known if he can still play after sitting out this past season with a neck injury. Indianapolis has the No. 1 pick in this year's draft and will likely select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Teams like Miami, Washington and even the New York Jets will be glued to their respective televisions for that day when the Colts announce they're headed in another direction without him.

Then again, the Colts can pay Manning a $25 million bonus and hope his recovery is nearing its conclusion.

If not, they'll rely on Luck for victories in 2012.

BUT MY favorite rumor of the bunch has been the Seattle Seahawks as another of those candidates to land Manning.

No, really.

With the uncertainty of Marshawn Lynch at running back and a few players on defense, the idea of chasing Manning doesn't seem like the best idea right now.

Manning has played all of his home NFL games in a dome, which CenturyLink Field isn't.

The Seahawks offensive line couldn't keep their starting quarterbacks on the field, so why take a chance on an aging quarterback with neck problems if he’s only going to be running when things go bad?

Just because Jim Zorn can still run faster than some NFL quarterbacks, it doesn’t mean that putting him under center will ignite the offense.

Then again?

Chances are, if Manning goes anywhere, it will be along the East Coast.

It won’t be New York — because let’s face it, there’s already a Manning running that town.

Miami could land him, as could Washington as long as those teams keep their payroll open.

When it comes to the Seahawks, do they need a quarterback? Definitely.

But Manning isn’t that guy.

Seattle either needs to draft a quarterback or sign a veteran with some experience with the hopes that Tarvaris Jackson doesn’t get hurt again.

Even that quarterback that can’t stay retired from Mississippi is a better fit right now.

There’s plenty of fishing in the northwest, and you can hunt whenever you feel like it.

Or at least that’s what the rumor is.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].