Broncos OC Rick Dennison: 'No rush' for Manning decision on 2015

Newly hired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison has said the team is in no rush to get an answer from Manning about his return to Denver in 2015.

Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said on Tuesday that the team is not in a rush to get a decision from Peyton Manning about whether the quarterback will return to the team in 2015, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.

Dennison and the Denver coaching staff have begun off-season review team personnel. The offensive coordinator said that the lack of a formal announcement from Manning would not prevent him from building a playbook.

"I don't think [that will delay us], we're going to go see what we do best, see what our team ends up with, there's certainly no rush," Dennison said. "He deserves to take his time and figure out what he wants to do because he's a phenomenal player."

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Manning said on Christmas Eve that he would return to Denver "if the Broncos will have me," but has not given a more definitive answer since the team's 24-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional playoffs.

He said on Jan. 30 that while he would like to make a decision soon, he was following the advice of Broncos general manager John Elway and taking his time.

Manning will turn 39 next month, and the 2015 season would be his 18th in the NFL. He reportedly will soon begin working with a "career extension" specialist at his home in New Orleans.

Dennison, who joined the Broncos staff in January, has said he has contacted each member of the team's offense and introduced himself, but had not discussed football with any of them.

Denver, which owes Manning $19 million in each of the next two seasons, has requested that he notify them of his decision by March 9, a day before teams must exercise rights on veteran players under contract.

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Manning finished fourth in the league in passing yards last season, throwing for 4,727, and was second in the NFL with 39 passing touchdowns and fourth in the league with a 101.5 passer rating. His performance helped the team to a 12-4 record, and the Broncos are 38-10 in the regular season since Manning signed a five-year deal with the team in 2012.

- Christopher Woody