At approximately 4:30 Eastern Standard Time, Brandon Marshall the Diva Receiva of the Miami Dolphins was sent packing to Chicago for a pair of 3rd Rounders in the 2012 and 2013 drafts.

There was plenty of negativity surrounding this move, but the deal saved the Dolphins 5.8 million dollars in cap space and allowed for the Dolphins to remain competitive for either Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn or other high priced free agents.

Bottom line, the Marshall trade leaves Davone Bess as the #1 receiver and essentially removes 6 TDs out of the equation that made the Dolphins offense.  (10 TDs if you were to count the Pro Bowl where Marshall was named MVP with 4 TDs...Maybe Ireland was counting that in Marshall's stats!!!)

The Pro Bowler Marshall will now rejoin and rejoice with former fellow Denver Bronco, Jay Cutler of the Bears, whom Marshall has been clamoring to play with since Cutler was dealt in 2009 to the Bears.

So, now what?  What can the Dolphins do next?

Supporters of this move give Miami a competitive edge in getting the most coveted free agent in Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn who was the backup QB to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

However, critics of this move see it as a way of rebuilding and starting anew with a new head coach in Joe Philbin and new offensive coordinator in Mike Sherman.

The uncertainty lingers in the air tonight as cumulonimbus clouds form in Davie providing a violent thunderstorm that hovers over the offices of Jeff Ireland and Steve Ross. 

Next on the docket is Right Tackle Eric Winston and Dick Marshall both free agents from Houston and Arizona respectively. 

Can the Dolphins land a wide receiver when all of the good ones are now gone? 

Will Jeff Ireland land a QB this week or next week named Manning or Flynn?

Are we at the point as Dolfans that the collective Publix bags will be over our heads at Dolphin games in Sun Life/LandShark/Dolphin/Pro Player/ Joe Robbie Stadium?

Do the Dolphins move on to Plan D and look for a serviceable QB through mini camp and then reach for Ryan Tannehill or Brandon Weeden?

Where will the ship steered by Jeff Ireland and Steve Ross take us to next?

Please follow @DolphinMick @PhinsPhocus @PhinsDaniel for the latest on the misery that the Dolphins have brought their fellow fans!

As NFL free agency is about to get under way at around 4pm this afternoon there is still one name that is on the mind of all Dolphins fans and that is Peyton Manning.

Late last night we learned from Mort that the Dolphins met with Manning for 6 hours in Indy. Coach Philbin and members of the Dolphins staff had the chance to make their best pitch to Peyton.  Per Mando from the Miami Herald’s Miami still believes it is in the mix to land Manning.

Jeff Darlington ‏ @JeffDarlington

Dolphins, by the way, still feel like they're in mix. Maybe they're naive to Manning's beliefs, but they've yet to give up on possibility.

The national media whether it’s Schefty, the boys at NFL Network, or John Clayton all are not making anything of the Dolphins meeting and don’t give the Phins much of a chance at landing Peyton. This is obviously a big change from a couple of days ago where they were the favorite. #Dolphins brass are either extremely naive ( wouldn't surprise me) or have dealt with this #ManningWatch extremely well

While it certainly seems the Bronco’s are the above and beyond favorite to land Manning services no one really knows. Mort also reported he doesn’t expect Manning decision by the start of free agency and it might even go into Thursday until he has decided.

The delay in Manning’s decision does cause a bit of a predicament for the Dolphins who would have to wait in their pursuit for free agent QB Matt Flynn. We also can’t rule out finding a QB through the draft in a guy like Ryan Tannehill who has been speculated to be the Dolphins plan B even over Flynn.

The Dolphins have played their cards very close to their chest and therefore it is unclear exactly what move Miami will make in the upcoming few hours and days.

Hopefully it will be a bright future in Miami and we will find our next franchise QB. 

The Peyton Manning to Miami courtship had lost it's luster right about this morning when Adam Schefter of ESPN relayed that Manning would not be making any more free-agent visits.

However, Peyton Manning is now going to visit with the Miami Dolphins this evening or tomorrow before the start of free-agency thanks to saavy reporting by the NFL Network's Jeff Darlington.

In reality, what we know of Manning's visit is the following:

1. It will only be about football.  What kind of offense the Dolphins plan on running with new Dolphin Head Coach Joe Philbin, personnel, potential pieces in Free agency that would fit are purely speculative anyone's part.  Everything is a guess at this point, but it would be great to be a fly on the wall.

2.  Manning has already seen the facility twice in two Super Bowl visits to South Florida, so there is no point in seeing the NSMB (Nick Saban Memorial Bubble) weight room, or Super Bowl trophy case. 

3.  Peyton Manning is not looking for bells and whistles (orange carpet treatment), but rather a person in the front office that speaks football language like he does.  It was reported widely by The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, that Manning has football people he can relate to in Denver with John Elway and Arizona with Ken Whisenhunt.

4. Owner and key schmoozer, Stephen Ross will not be present for this meeting to give the grand tour of Miami with his helicopter tour, dinner, and a beautiful array of star- studded fellow owners.  This latest development has to discourage the Miami Dolphins, but many Dolfans should be cheering that Ross not privy to the meeting, is a helpful step in getting the Dolphins a QB and letting Ireland with Coach Philbin and possibly Coach Sherman chat with Peyton Manning. 

Based on these key points, one has to look at whether the Denver and Arizona visits, which lasted over 6 hours were more of curiousity since Manning left without a deal or figures exchanged.

Did Manning throw a football for either team?

However, the Dolphins are in the mix...along with the now Texans and Titans.  Should Alex Smith not be signed to a new deal in San Francisco, one has to wonder will the Manning camp head for the Santa Clara for a looksee? 

A lot of questions remain.  Without getting hopeful, Peyton Manning is meeting the Dolphins at an undisclosed location today or tomorrow.  There is a beacon of hope and we as Dolfans need to band together to support this team's efforts in bringing Manning to Miami.

It’s been a stressful few days for Dolfans fans patiently awaiting Peyton Manning to return to Florida to give the Dolphins brass a shot at giving there best pitch. There has been a series of reports that have left fans up and down and quite frankly starting to leave the fan base quite nervous.

Late this afternoon superstar reporter Jay Glazer broke the news that Peyton is leaving Denver without a contract and off to Arizona to meet coach Whisenhunt. The Bronco’s remain optimistic as they feel Peyton’s visit was very productive however most believe it is a bad sign he left without a contract.

Mike Klis ‏ @MikeKlis ( Denver Post)

Manning off to Ariz. Bronco source characterizes Peyton Manning visit as productive. Team is hopeful and encouraged by time spent with him

With Arizona next up it is still unsure whether Peyton will give the Dolphins a shot but many remain optimistic. Perhaps none as optimistic as Orlando Alzugaray from the Big O show.

Orlando Alzugaray ‏ @BigOShow

Manning is friends with Den HC John Fox, this meeting was out of pure respect. Still expect Peyton 2 be a Phin.

Time will tell as to where Manning will be playing but its going to take some patience for Dolphins fans. Let’s all hope he hops on a plane after seeing Arizona straight to Miami.

Fins up #Manning2Miami

While things are pretty much status quo on the Manning sweepstakes we like to keep our readers up to date so here’s what’s new.

The Kansas City Chiefs apparently are the only team to thus far make an actual offer to Peyton. Kansas City has been gaining steam as a dark horse in the Manning sweepstakes, while most are still skeptical of KC being the landing spot they remain a legit contender.

The second dark horse team which has stuck into the race is the Denver Bronco’s as Peter King has stated that like the Dolphins and other teams the Bronco’s are desperate to get Manning. Local writer Woody Paige still claims the Bronco’s and Manning won’t be a match. Peyton will meet with Denver today according to the Denver post. 

In some pretty depressing news from Sheffty, he said that the Dolphins chances of signing Manning appear to be ‘dwindling’, claiming the helicopter chase and local media as a reason Peyton might be turned off.

Mort said last night that he expects Manning to make his decision within the next 3-4 days. While nothing really new has happen in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes there appears to be panic by many Dolfans on twitter. The Denver Post says Peyton would like to sign with a team by the start of NFL Free Agency Tuesday. 

The Skins once thought to be in the race seem out now.

Right now it appears to be between the Dolphins, Cardinals, Chiefs and Broncos.

Miami most likely is still the favorite however it’s anyone’s guess. Let the games continue and let’s hope Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross step it up.

Currently I am in the middle of extreme excitement envisioning Peyton in Aqua and Orange and complete and utter fear that Stephen Ross and Jeff Ireland will swing and miss again.

RT @evansilva Denver Post reports Peyton will also visit #Cardinals& #Dolphins, after tonight's #Broncos visit. 3 favorites to sign him. 

RT @ClaytonESPN: With Denver being Peyton Mannings first stop, they are big players in the Manning sweepstakes. Miami is still the favorite 

"First visit does not mean Denver is leader in clubhouse." -@AdamSchefter 

RT @ArmandoSalguero: Told Manning's decision is basically#Cardinals or #Dolphins. Elway would have to fashion a DRIVE type rally to get him