Eli Manning

Giants Notes: Manning, Beckham, Apple, OL

December 29th, 2017 at 4:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dave Gettleman met with media for the first time as Giants GM on Friday, and he addressed the Eli Manning situation. Working under Ernie Accorsi when Manning was selected and staying on through the Giants’ second 21st-century Super Bowl title in 2011, Gettleman looked to show some faith Manning has quality football left. The new GM said he expects Manning to start in 2018.

“Eli’s won a lot of games,” Gettleman said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “A great competitor, very intelligent. He and I are gonna talk and if what I saw in Philadelphia was not a mirage — and I don’t believe it is — we’ll keep moving.”

Saddled with one of the league’s worst offensive lines and ground attacks, Manning has not enjoyed a good season. But he threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns against the NFC’s No. 1 seed earlier this month. Manning’s only other 300-plus-yard game this season came against the Eagles as well. Gettleman, however, said the Manning situation wouldn’t affect a possible first-round quarterback pick and added the “as of now” caveat to his Manning-in-2018 remarks, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv.

Here’s the latest out of New York on a busy day for the franchise.

John Mara has not wavered on his Odell Beckham Jr. stance. Although the co-owner said he’s unsure when an extension will be discussed for the rehabbing superstar, he remains committed to the wideout long-term. “Let’s face it, players with his ability don’t come along very often. So, yes, I want him to be a part of this team’s future,” Mara said, via Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (on Twitter). Gettleman, however, wasn’t as firm on a Beckham deal. Although, the new GM’s hesitance on an “obviously extremely talented kid” was largely based on a lack of interactions with Beckham, Vacchiano tweets. Beckham’s headed into his fifth-year option season.
Giants ownership wanted to wait until after the season when they could talk to other GM candidates, but after meeting with Gettleman, Mara and Co. decided to proceed in order to be ready to conduct a head-coaching search after Week 17’s conclusion, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
Eli Apple‘s status with the Giants may be in the murky-at-best category after his disastrous sophomore NFL season. But Mara isn’t ready to throw in the towel on the cornerback yet. “You don’t want to quit on talent,” Mara said, via Jones (on Twitter). “I happen to like him personally. I’m obviously disturbed with what’s happened this year. … I think we have to figure out what’s going on with him. But I’d like for him to be a part of this team’s future.” The Giants suspended Apple for Week 17, and a source told ESPN’s Josina Anderson he would soon be done in New York. Apple is under contract through 2019, although this suspension makes that deal less binding.
Gettleman wasn’t vague about one area in need of repairs. The new Giants GM said the offensive lined needs to be fixed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). Big Blue’s boasted one of the NFL’s worst fronts for the past two years, and both Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg are in line to be free agents — and two of the best available. Ereck Flowers has not lived up to the billing as a top-10 pick, but his contract is guaranteed through 2018. Last year’s O-line draft class was not viewed as strong; this one has received higher marks early in the pre-draft process.
Accorsi could well seek Bill Belichick‘s counsel regarding a potential hire, but Garafolo reports (video link) he’s heard nothing to suggest the Patriots coach is playing a role in the Giants’ HC search thus far. A report earlier today indicated some buzz about Belichick advising Accorsi to get the Giants to hire Eagles DC Jim Schwartz.

Eli Manning Wants To Stay With Giants

December 27th, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are guaranteed a top-three draft choice in 2018, and they could well be in position to land their next franchise quarterback — just as they did the last time they ended up in the top five of a draft.

However, Eli Manning still has two years remaining on his contract and was reinstated as the starter despite being benched this season. And the soon-to-be 37-year-old passer does not want to leave, despite the Giants being set to finish with either a 2-14 or 3-13 record and further away from a playoff run than some other teams with quarterback needs.

“This is what I love to do. I love playing football; I love playing quarterback, and I want to continue to do it for the Giants,” Manning said during a WFAN radio interview (via Tom Rock of Newsday). “This is the only team I ever wanted to play for and I don’t want to change.

“I do understand how this season has gone and new people [are] coming in. If they want to make a change, then we’ll go down that road.”

This follows John Mara‘s comments about wanting Manning to stay with the team. However, the owner did not guarantee that when asked about the subject earlier this month. Manning is due to carry a $22.2MM cap number in 2018, and he’s in line for a $5MM roster bonus on the third day of the ensuing league year.

But Manning does want to play a 15th NFL season, even if it’s not with New York. The Tom Coughlin-overseen Jaguars have been mentioned by GMs as the most obvious suitor in case the Giants want to make a change.

“If they decide to move on … I don’t feel I’m ready to retire,” Manning said (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “I feel I can still play at a high level and compete and make plays and love what I’m doing. I think I still have good football in me. I don’t want to stop playing football. This is all I want to do. I don’t have a backup plan; I don’t have something I’m looking forward to doing when this is done.”

Manning staying could well mean he’s the gatekeeper in front of Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold, should the Pac-12 quarterbacks declare for the draft. And that’s a situation from which he won’t shy away, he said. Manning was not given the Giants’ starting job in Week 1 of his first season; Kurt Warner began the 2004 season as the starter before Manning took over midseason and began his historic start streak.

“Whether they think Davis Webb is the quarterback or they get a quarterback and there’s competition, I can compete,” he said. “I don’t mind competition. I think that’s always part of it; you’re trying to compete for the starting job and get better. I do want to play.

“I don’t know how many more years I do have but I do think I can play at a high level and while I can, I want to be out there.”

Eli Manning To Start In Week 17

December 24th, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by GregGoldstein

There’s been widespread speculation regarding the future of Eli Manning with the Giants since he was benched by then head coach Ben McAdoo at the beginning of this month. However, Manning has started every game since McAdoo was fired and will be behind center come the start of the Giants’ Week 17 matchup against Washington, according to James Kratch of NJ Advanced Media (Twitter link).

Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo confirmed the news after the team’s 23-0 loss to the Cardinals. It’s not a surprising development given that the team would likely want to avoid a second go around in benching Manning.

However, it looks likely that this will be the last time that Giants fans will be able to watch their two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback in a Giants uniform. New York has assured themselves a top three pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and have rumored to be interested in college signal callers, Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold.

Manning will be 37 years old next season, and while he’s still under contract for another two years, the Giants will still have the opportunity to cut or trade him early this offseason.

The former number one overall pick’s stats have taken a dive this year, especially with him missing the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall for a long portion of the season. In 14 games in 2017, Manning has thrown for 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, which is a major step back from 2014-2015 when he tossed over 30 scores in each of those campaigns.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Manning, Eagles

December 22nd, 2017 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

Two years ago, Louis Riddick spoke to the New York Post about the Giants‘ coaching search that resulted in the promotion of Ben McAdoo. Riddick indicated that if he were in charge of the search, he would make a strong play for Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

“I tell you this, if I was a GM, I was a team president, I was an owner, I would definitely make the call,’’ Riddick said (via Paul Schwartz of the NY Post). “I would try. Because I’m not one of those people who believe he was a failure in the NFL. I would be making that call, and I would be saying what would it take to come get you to come talk to me and how much money will it take? “I would have my plane gassed up and down in Tuscaloosa going ‘Will you talk to me?’”

Saban is one of the most successful coaches in college football history, but his time in the NFL with the Dolphins did not go as planned. For what it’s worth, Riddick believes that he would do a lot better if he was given another chance. Now that Riddick is up for the Giants’ GM job, one can’t help but wonder if he could bring Saban to New York.

Riddick was also highly complementary of Patriots offensive Josh McDaniels in that conversation. Some anticipate that Riddick would bring McDaniels on board if hired by the G-Men.

“He’s a guy, based on my research and knowing him a little bit, I think he’s gonna be fantastic,’’ Riddick said. “I think he’s gonna blow it out of the water and be dynamite in his second shot.’’

Here’s more from the NFC East:

With roughly eight head coaching positions expected to be available, the chances are high that one of the Eagles‘ assistants gets plucked, Tim McManus of ESPN.com writes. In particular, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz are expected to garner a lot of interest. Schwartz may have to shed the “retread” label, but DeFilippo has been largely responsible for the development of quarterback Carson Wentz and at the age of 39, he is viewed as a coach on the rise in the mold of Sean McVay. When all is said and done, the Eagles are likely to have to fill at least one vacancy on the staff.
When speaking as a TV analyst recently, Riddick said that the Giants should consider taking a quarterback with their top pick, regardless of whether or not they keep Eli Manning. “Drafting a young player has to be on the ticket anyway, just by virtue of the fact that you know [Manning] is closer to the end than the beginning,” Riddick said (via Schwartz). “There’s a lot of different moving parts here. But I think everybody will win in the end. I think Eli will get what he wants, and I think the Giants will just move on into the future.”
A new deal for Cowboys guard Zack Martin will not come cheap.
Is Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther destined to join the Redskins?

Giants Want Eli Manning Back In 2018

December 13th, 2017 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Giants owner John Mara says that he wants Eli Manning to remain with the Giants in 2018. However, he’s not guaranteeing his return either.

“Yes,” Mara said when asked if he wants Manning to stay with the club. “But that’s a discussion that we’ll have.”

Earlier this month, there was an uproar amongst Giants fans when Manning was asked to take a backseat to Geno Smith. Days later, Mara sacked coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese while interim coach Steve Spagnuolo reinstated Manning as the starter. With that in mind, it’s hard to tell whether Mara’s endorsement of Manning is a move to appease Giants fans in the short term or if he is genuinely interested in keeping the veteran under his current contract.

Manning has two years to go on his expensive deal and he’ll turn 37 shortly after the New Year. As it stands, he’s set to earn $10.5MM in 2018 and $11.5MM in 2019. If Manning is unwilling to take a hair cut, then the Giants could cut him loose before his $5MM roster bonus comes due in March.

If the season ended today, the Giants would own the No. 2 pick in the draft. From there, the team’s next GM (whoever he may be) will find most, if not all, of the class’ top QBs available. UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and USC’s Sam Darnold are widely considered to be this year’s top prospects at the position.

NFC Notes: Webb, Niners, Skins, Packers

December 11th, 2017 at 10:20pm CST by Micah Powell

From benching Eli Manning for Geno Smith to the firing of head coach Ben McAdoo, there hasn’t been much stability with the Giants in recent weeks. The team does know one thing, however — rookie quarterback Davis Webb is not in the team’s plans for the foreseeable future, Newsday’s Tom Rock writes.

This should have been evident when the team didn’t tab the Cal product instead of Smith. Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo also said there would be no change to Webb’s snaps at practice. He also added, “I’m not sure what would be gained other than if something happened to the starting quarterback that he goes in . . Is it that much more of an advantage to have him standing on the sideline as the second than there is having him standing on the sideline as a deactivated player?”

Obviously Webb is not in the plans for this season, which has led to speculation the Giants will use their rare high first-round pick next season on a quarterback like Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan does not expect a new contract with Jimmy Garoppolo to be hammered out before the end of the season, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter link). After amassing 627 passing yards in his first two starts, Garoppolo is almost assuredly the team’s answer under center for the foreseeable future. He is sure to cash in this offseason.
Packers defensive back Davon House suffered a transverse process fracture in his back, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rappoport (Twitter link). He also noted that most players have come back from the injury in a week or two. House has started all 10 games he has played this season, registering an interception and a sack.
Redskins linebacker Chris Carter will need surgery to repair a broken fibula in his right leg, ESPN’s John Keim reports (Twitter link). Just a few weeks after a broken fibula left running back Chris Thompson on IR, the injury comes back to bite Washington with one of its top special teams performers.

Poll: Where Will Eli Manning Play In 2018?

December 9th, 2017 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The status of Eli Manning no doubt played a part in the Giants firing Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo, and their departures opened the door for the 14th-year quarterback to be reinstalled as Big Blue’s starter for Week 14.

But Manning’s future remains cloudy regardless of him being given his job back. Two years remain on the soon-to-be 37-year-old passer’s contract, but with base salaries of $10.5MM and $11.5MM in 2018 and ’19, Manning should receive some interest if the Giants are indeed keen on moving on without him.

With a month left to play, the Giants stand to hold the No. 2 pick behind the Browns. That is certainly quarterback territory, with Josh Rosen expected to come out and Sam Darnold a reasonable bet to follow suit. Wyoming’s Josh Allen is also viewed as a first-round prospect, and he’s expected to declare early as well. John Mara instructed his front office to ramp up quarterback evaluations as this season began to go south, and given the sequence of events that led the franchise to be in position to acquire Manning in the first place, the Giants turning its first awful season since that seminal 2003 campaign into another first-round quarterback wouldn’t be shocking.

However, if the Giants don’t finish with a bad enough record to land in quarterback territory — or if the next GM believes enough talent is present to keep Manning and the veteran-laden defense that booked a 2016 playoff berth together — that could change things. Manning threw 35 touchdown passes two years. His play’s dropped off a bit since, but Big Blue’s had severe offensive line issues the past two seasons.

There figures to be interest if Manning does leave. He plans to play next season, and GMs told CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora a reunion with Tom Coughlin makes too much sense not to happen. Coughlin spoke up in his former charge’s defense after he was benched.

The Jaguars can shed Blake Bortles‘ contract free of charge after the season, and their work this fall has shown what the defensively powered team is capable of with a bottom-tier quarterback. That could be attractive to Manning, the Jags’ lack of a comparable football tradition or similar media market (compared to his current team) notwithstanding. Although, both Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee are pending UFAs, leaving the pass-catching crew uncertain. But Manning could certainly improve their chances at pushing for a Super Bowl berth compared to Bortles.

The other presumptive suitor may trail the Jaguars, since it’s not known if the Broncos would consider it. But Denver’s two primary passers this season are Pro Football Focus’ two lowest-graded players at sports’ premier position. The Broncos’ pass defense has fallen off its otherworldly perch of the past two years, but thanks to improved run-stoppage ability, the unit overall ranks fifth. And with Paxton Lynch having shown little before and during an injury-marred 2017, the Broncos — who have the core of their Super Bowl defense still under contract through 2018, with most signed through at least ’19 — could be back in the mix with better quarterback play.

While the Broncos obviously had immense success with Peyton Manning, they did not opt to pull the trigger on Tony Romo in a similar situation this offseason. One of the most durable players in NFL history, Eli Manning would not bring the health issues those two icons did. But the Broncos appear to be behind the Jaguars in this figurative derby to this point due to the Jags having a less complicated route to acquiring him, and Coughlin’s presence figures to make a big impact if Manning does opt to waive his no-trade clause in the event of a Giants rebuild.

The Dolphins are not believed to be interested. Neither are the Cardinals. The Vikings have three passers on expiring deals and a loaded defense, but it would stand to reason they’d rather retain one of them than pursue an older quarterback.

So, who gets Manning next season? Does the Giants’ about-face point him back to New York for a 15th season, or does their 2-10 record lead the franchise to fully embrace a rebuild? Is the Jaguars connection too obvious not to occur, or would John Elway consider a second Manning to elevate his franchise?

Or does Manning take the Romo route and retire as a Giant, having been one of the most important players in franchise history and having guided the historic operation to two Super Bowl titles? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Dolphins Unlikely To Express Interest In Eli Manning

December 6th, 2017 at 8:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the Dolphins have already been linked to a possible offseason acquisition of Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Miami is “highly unlikely” to pursue Manning given the club’s investment in fellow signal-caller Ryan Tannehill, team sources tell Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

There’s a lot to unpack here, but first is the subject of whether Manning will even be available during the offseason. The Giants fired both general manager Jerry Reese and head coach Ben McAdoo on Monday, meaning another group of decision-makers will be leading the club next year. Manning is under contract through 2019 with cap charges north of $22MM in each of the next two campaigns, and his deal also contains a full no-trade clause.

If Manning does hit the free agent or trade market, the Dolphins would make — on the surface — make sense as a potential destination, especially given the presence of head coach Adam Gase. Gase worked with Eli’s brother, Peyton Manning, for three seasons in Denver, meaning he should have a familiarity with the Manning clan.

While there’s almost no chance Jay Cutler returns to South Beach in 2018 given that he ranks in the bottom-five of nearly every quarterback metric, every report has indicated Tannehill will be back next season. In October, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Miami still thinks “extremely highly” of Tannehill and plans to utilize him as its starting quarterback next year. While there haven’t been any recent health updates on Tannehill (who tore his ACL in August), his injury timeline should allow him to recover in time for the start of the 2018 campaign.

Tannehill, 29, is under contract through the 2020 season, although he’s essentially working on a “pay-as-you-go” deal. The Dolphins could cut ties at any point over the next three years without incurring greater than $5MM in dead money.

Giants Reinstate Eli Manning As Starter

December 5th, 2017 at 1:46pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s official – the Giants are going back to Eli Manning as their starting quarterback, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link). Manning will be under center this weekend as the Giants face the Cowboys in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Mired in a lost season, the Giants made a daring move to bench Manning on Sunday in favor of Geno Smith. The decision ended Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive NFL starts and caused an uproar among Giants fans. There’s little doubt that the ensuing controversy sped up the inevitable for coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese.

At 2-10, the Giants aren’t playing for much this year, but the outcome of these next four games will help shape the offseason. If Manning plays up to par, it’s conceivable that he could return as the starting QB in 2018, though that might require some healing between the two-time Super Bowl champ and team ownership. Manning remains under contract through next season, but the team must decide whether to keep him before his $5MM roster bonus comes due on March 18.

Manning, 37 in January, has completed 62.5% of his passes with 14 touchdowns against seven interceptions this year. He currently ranks as the 18th best quarterback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics have not been a big fan of his work over the last five seasons. In 2011 and 2012, however, he rated as a top five passer in the NFL.

Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that Manning would be reinstated as the Giants’ starting quarterback.

Latest On Giants’ Coach, GM Search

December 4th, 2017 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Ben McAdoo‘s stint in New York was short and ended without a championship, but he did make history in his own way. McAdoo was at the helm for just 28 regular-season games, giving him the lowest total by a Giants head coach since 1930 (as noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, via Twitter). In that season, Benny Friedman spent two games as a co-player-coach.

Starting today, the Giants are officially looking to fill vacancies at head coach and GM. Here’s the latest out of New York/New Jersey:

Giants owner John Mara says his “very strong preference” is to have a separate head coach and GM. However, he does not rule out a dual role if the right candidate emerges (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY).
Mara says that both interim hires (GM Kevin Abrams and head coach Steve Spagnuolo) will be interviewed for the full-time jobs (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com). Personally, I don’t think the odds are in Spagnuolo’s favor, even though he is well-regarded by the organization. After a disastrous 2017 season, it seems more likely that the Giants will opt for a reset when it comes to the next head coach.
Reese was not responsible for the firing of Tom Coughlin and subsequent hiring of McAdoo, Kinkhabwala tweets. When Coughlin was fired, Reese advocated for two candidates over McAdoo.
Former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi has agreed to serve as a consultant in the GM search, Mara announced (Twitter link via team). The owner added that it is possible that a GM hire will be made before the season is through, noting that the team already has some names in mind (Twitter link via Kinkhabwala).
Mara says that McAdoo is the one who initially came up with the plan to bench Eli Manning (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson).

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