According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, Giants QB Eli Manning still wants to play and believes there are “several” potential landing spots for him next year where he could jump in and be a starter.
Sources tell Graziano that Manning has “been hit pretty hard” by the team’s surprising decision to bench him and see what their other quarterbacks can do over the remainder of the season.
Graziano adds that it’s still too early to know what Manning’s plans are for sure, but the feeling around the situation is that he wouldn’t want his career to end like this.
New York plans to play Geno Smith against the Raiders in Week 13, but they could turn to rookie Davis Webb as soon as Week 14.
There has been speculation for months now that the Jaguars could make sense as a potential landing spot for Manning, considering his ties to Tom Coughlin and the fact that he would likely be an upgrade to Blake Bortles.
As for Manning’s contract, Field Yates points out that he’s owed a $5M roster bonus due on the 5th day of the 2018 league year, a $10.5M base salary in 2018 (non-guaranteed) and will carry a cap figure of $22.2M.
Should the Giants either release or trade Manning next year, they would incur $12.4M in dead money.
Manning, 36, is a former first-round pick of the Chargers back in 2004. He was traded to the Giants during the draft and has spent all 14 years of his career in New York.
Manning is currently in the third year of his five-year, $101.5 million contract that included $65 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $10.5 million and $11.5 million over the final two years of the agreement.
In 2017, Manning has appeared in 11 games for the Giants and thrown for 2,411 yards while completing 62.5 percent of his passes to go along with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 18 quarterback out of 39 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding Manning’s future with the Giants as the news is available.
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