Despite a belief in league circles that Peyton Manning wants to make a decision on the next phase of his career before the NFL free agency period opens on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported today that Manning is "highly unlikely" to choose a team before that time. Manning spent the weekend being wooed extensively by the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals, and he may meet with the Miami Dolphins, and perhaps a few other teams, sometime this week.

According to Mortensen, the Broncos and Cardinals remain the favorites for Manning's services, which Manning may have tipped off by visiting those two teams first. But he could of course be blown away by the Dolphins or a subsequent team, and if the saga of Manning leaving the Colts has been anything, it's been unpredictable.

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