Oh, good gravy.

Filed to ESPN: Third team in Manning race that has emerged is49ers - Manning worked out for Harbaugh &took physical this week #NFL32

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) March 16, 2012

As 49ers beat writer Matt Barrows pointed out, Manning and Alex Smith have the same agent and this would explain why Smith has not yet been re-signed. Adam Schefter also noted that the Cardinals were told that they should proceed on under the assumption that Manning would not be joining them in the desert. So, the Cardinals are allegedly out of the Manning race, which means they'll... probably? keep Kevin Kolb and that means he's probably...? not an option for the Seahawks. But, this now means that Alex Smith becomes a potential option for the Seahawks and regardless, as Brian Nemhauser points out, he'll likely visit Seattle as leverage in a mutually beneficial visit that should boost the cost to re-sign with SF. Prepare for incessant media bitching and moaning! Hooray for free agency!!

Another interesting tidbit was disclosed by Mort and Schefty when they wrote this in the Manning article:

"There is no known deadline for Manning's decision, but the process has been exhaustive since he was released by the Colts on March 7. Before Friday's visit with Denver, it was Manning who insisted upon working out for the teams, endorsing the integrity of the process.

Manning first visited the Broncos two days later, followed by a visit to the Cardinals, but there have been other unreported developments during last weekend, such as the Seattle Seahawks parking a jet at an airport in the Denver area in a failed attempt to visit with the quarterback, according to sources."

Also:

Chargers announce they have signed QB Charlie Whitehurst. No surprise the #Seahawks let him go.

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) March 16, 2012

Atari Bigby joins the Chargers on a two-year, $2.5 million deal, per a league source. He can make up to $4.5 million

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) March 17, 2012

Anyway, talk about it below. Open Thread y'all!