The Denver Broncos have beaten out the 49er and Tennessee Titans for heralded quarterback Peyton Manning, ESPN reported just before 9 a.m. Monday.
Manning, a four-time league MVP who missed last season because of neck surgeries, has informed Broncos vice president John Elway of his desire to play there and to begin contract talks with his agent, Tom Condon, who also represents incumbent 49ers quarterback Alex Smith.
For the 49ers, their attention can return to re-signing Alex Smith and smoothing over any hard feelings from their stealth Manning pursuit.
Is Smith still amenable to returning to the team that drafted him first overall in 2005? He took a red-eye flight to Fort Lauderdale early Sunday, met for six hours with the Dolphins and reportedly entered into contract negotiations on a multi-year deal worth $8 million annually.
Smith reportedly was offered a three-year, $24 million deal well before the 49ers launched their Manning pursuit. That contract seems comparable to the one that unproven Matt Flynn signed Sunday with the Seattle Seahawks.
Manning, who worked out for the 49ers on Tuesday night in North Carolina, is expected to command a five-year, $90 million contract from the Broncos.
By landing Manning, the Broncos are expected to try trading Tim Tebow, who became a cultural phenomenon last season in leading Denver to the AFC playoffs.
