David Cutcliffe has been watching Peyton Manning throw for nearly two decades.

And, after orchestrating Manning’s workouts from the time the quarterback was cleared by doctors to resume throwing and when Manning signed his contract with the Broncos last week, Cutcliffe saw enough to confidently predict that Manning will be just fine.

Manning missed all of 2011 while recovering from multiple surgeries performed on his neck in the past year.

“He could play a game. We’ve done it, we’ve simulated games and he’s done well. He’s going to do nothing but get stronger and going to play up to his standards,” Cutcliffe said Thursday.

“I know that’s his goal, and there isn’t any reason, there is no indicator otherwise.”

Cutcliffe, who coached Manning at Tennessee (and Manning’s brother, Eli, at Mississippi), said the workouts he put Manning through at Duke University (where Cutcliffe now is the head coach) were designed to simulate the type of practices he would go through in the NFL.

They were fast-paced, with different timed drills and sessions to mimic the format Manning will soon do with his new NFL team. It was that type of practice that Broncos officials watched when they traveled to North Carolina to watch Manning nearly two weeks ago.

“He can make all the throws, his release times are perfect, and we pay a lot of attention to that. It’s arm speed and getting rid of it. His velocity is good. It’s just a matter of, like any other NFL football player, you’ve got to feel good,” Cutcliffe said. “He’s in great shape. Not good shape, great shape, and that’s part of what we did here as well.”

Manning picked the Broncos on March 19 and, a day later, signed a five-year contract worth up to $96 million.

Since joining the Broncos, Manning has remained in Denver and has been working out at a local high school with teammates Eric Decker, Julius Thomas and J.D. Walton.

Manning is continuing his neck rehab at Dove Valley with Broncos head trainer Steve Antonopulos and strength coach Luke Richesson.

Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com