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When it was revealed that the
Tennessee Titans were considering adding veteran free agent guard
Steve Hutchinson, it was insinuated by some that this was a sign that it was being done in an effort to sway
Peyton Manning their way. Hutchinson and Manning are friendly, and share an agent, Tom Condon.
ESPN's John Clayton reported Thursday afternoon that
the Titans have signed Hutchinson, and a tweet shortly thereafter summed up what many are thinking right now: "With Steve Hutchinson going to Tennessee, you have to think
the Titans may have a legitimate chance of getting Peyton Manning."
Obviously there are a number of interested parties when it comes to the Titans' potential signing of Manning, perhaps none moreso than current veteran Titans QB
Matt Hasselbeck. Should the Titans' pursuit of Manning end in a contract,
Hasselbeck could be the odd man out, which would affect the remaining QB free agent market: Would the 49ers prefer him to
Alex Smith? Would Browns president Mike Holmgren push for a reunion? What role will the Cardinals -- who must make a $7 million decision on
Kevin Kolb by Friday afternoon -- play in this?
One big domino fell on Thursday (
Mario Williams landing in Buffalo), and another could be set to tumble as well.
"Hutchinson is friends with Peyton Manning, and his addition to a Titans offensive line coming off a year of high-caliber pass protection certainly can't hurt Tennessee as it attempts to convince Manning that he wants to play his remaining years in Nashville, not Denver. Like virtually every element to this situation that we've discussed, this is one small piece. And I can't imagine Manning's looking at small pieces, he's looking at the sum of the small pieces. But the Titans just upped the sum. Can they make another move soon to boost it again?