The Giants and quarterback Eli Manning were believed to be far apart in extension talks for most of the summer, but with the season right around the corner, there’s still a chance that the two sides could reach an agreement, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. A source with knowledge of the negotiations recently told Raanan that he expects a deal to happen before Week 1, and Manning has acknowledged that progress has been made in contract discussions.
For his part, Manning has mostly avoided discussing his contract, which expires at season’s end, suggesting that his focus is on football. But according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter links), the two-time Super Bowl MVP addressed the issue on WFAN today.
“I’m not a big fan of negotiations going on during the season,” Manning said. “I’m hoping if this thing is going to get done, it’s going to get done very quickly … and not have these talks continue on.”
As Manning and the Giants potentially move toward a new agreement, the team also has to figure out what to do with veteran pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul, who reported to New York yesterday and took a physical with the team.
A source tells ESPN’s Dan Graziano (Twitter link) that the Giants were encouraged by Monday’s meeting with JPP, and that the team could engaged in contract talks with Pierre-Paul’s agent as soon as today. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Giants are still reviewing records and notes from the 26-year-old’s physical, and are “conferring internally” before making their next move.
Pierre-Paul believes he’s capable of playing Week 1, but it’s not clear whether the Giants share his confidence — if they do, they’ll have to get him under contract within the next few days.