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As Eli Manning's playing career enters its twilight years, the New York Giants have yet to reveal their quarterback plans for 2019 and beyond. Tim Warner/Getty Images

Giants' quarterback situation now brings timeline dilemma

By Sam Robinson | Last updated 12/29/18

In the six-plus years since the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI conquest, this franchise has made costly decisions.

Perennially poor defenses, except for the outlier 2016 group, and mostly horrendous offensive line play stripped New York’s centerpiece of the kind of relevancy he once held. The Giants have not done well to maximize Eli Manning’s NFL twilight years, and yet another decision regarding the likely Hall of Fame quarterback is due soon.

Great options do not exist for the Giants. They put themselves in this position with their April draft decision, though it was not necessarily the wrong course of action.

Their first-round 1 pick, Saquon Barkley, has obliterated the eye test like few rookies this century. But because the Jets' Sam Darnold plays at MetLife Stadium when the Giants are on the road, Big Blue is the New York team entering another draft in this position — and in worse shape, without the luxury of the No. 2 overall pick and Manning a year older.

The Giants look to be strongly considering greenlighting a 16th Manning season, which seems insane given Manning's age (38 next week) and another bad Giants season ending this weekend. But is it? One year and $23.2 million remain on Manning's contract. Looking at the other options the Giants have at sports’ marquee position, a complex decision awaits.

About those options:

Initiate awkward Manning divorce; sign Nick Foles

The first two days of free agency this year dispersed several starting quarterbacks to new cities. The buyers, for the most part, have not seen much return on their investments.

If the Giants believe Manning is no longer a capable starter, this year’s free-agent group lacks the depth of 2018’s.

Teddy Bridgewater and Tyrod Taylor are scheduled to hit the market. If the Eagles do not pick up Nick Foles' $20 million option, the reigning Super Bowl MVP will be available. Having played for Pat Shurmur from 2013-14, Foles would be worth examining, even if he brings near-Case Keenum-level volatility.

Foles did not follow up his stunning 2013 season with the same magic in 2014, though he did have the Eagles at 6-2 and held the NFL’s No. 15 QBR figure before breaking his collarbone midseason. He then bombed with the Rams. When Shurmur, as the Eagles offensive coordinator, coached Foles, they were running Chip Kelly’s offense. Plugging the soon-to-be 30-year-old passer into the Giants’ system and expecting some semblance of his peak form would be dicey.

But if he is available, expect the Giants to consider this, despite what it would mean for Manning.

Of the prospective free-agent quarterbacks, Foles may be the only one considered better than a bridge option. Bringing Bridgewater or Taylor to the Big Apple would likely be followed by an early-round quarterback pick. Foles may be given a better chance to earn a long-term job.

Is Foles enough of an upgrade from Manning (25th in 2018 QBR but improved numbers from 2016 and '17) to justify sending the 15-year Giants passer away via release or, wink-wink, retirement?

Determine if another retooling team’s starter is a definitive upgrade

Manning is sacked by Matthew Ioannidis during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 28, 2018. Elsa/Getty Images

Joe Flacco is almost certainly going to be available via trade. Ryan Tannehill might be, too, if the Dolphins can find a buyer. Jameis Winston’s Buccaneers tenure may include just one more game.

Judging by Flacco’s work sample over the past four seasons, and his onerous contract, the Giants are probably going to ignore this option. Tannehill ranks, interestingly, 11th in 2018 passer rating (99.0) and 32nd in QBR (38.4, ahead of only Josh Rosen among qualified players). He will be only 31 next season, but with his injury history, this could be a big name-turned-bridge solution. If the Dolphins do jettison their longtime starter, they are another competitor in a supply-and-demand situation already skewing toward sellers.

The Bucs severing ties with Winston means they will join the Dolphins as a QB suitor. That may be a bigger concern, because the Giants are not replacing Manning with Winston.

Keep Manning; draft his successor

If the Giants are to add a quarterback in 2019, this seems like the path, but Darnold was the ideal ending of this road.

With Oregon's Justin Herbert out of the mix, a host of less-coveted options will vie to fill the space. Considering how desperate teams get in this position — see: Christian Ponder, E.J. Manuel, Johnny Manziel — and the recent predraft rises of Carson Wentz, Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield, mock drafts that do not feature a quarterback going in the top 10 are unrealistic. At least one will. Maybe two.

Based on Week 17’s results, the Giants could land anywhere from pick No. 4 to No. 12. To have the best shot at Dwayne Haskins — who should enter this draft to maximize his first contract’s value, with Herbert out of the picture and 2020’s QB class expected to be stacked — New York will need to lose to Dallas. The Cowboys are playing for nothing, but the Texans (who face the Jaguars) need a win for a home playoff game. If Houston wins, it puts the Jags in position to have a draft-slot edge on the Giants.

Should Haskins sufficiently enthrall during the workout period, the Cardinals, 49ers and Jets will be open to ransoming worse-positioned teams in trades. The Giants, Jaguars, Broncos and Patriots need long-term answers; the Dolphins, Bucs, Redskins and Bengals might too. While picturing Haskins (a one-year starter who could have 50 touchdown passes after the Rose Bowl) with Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. will stir up many Giants fans, the team needs to be careful. The cost could be extreme.

If New York does pull the trigger, Manning is the ideal mentor, despite the quarterbacks' styles. (Colleges aren’t making Manning models anymore.)

Keep Manning; delay the future until 2020

Manning runs off the field after the Giants 30-27 win over the Chicago Bears at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 02, 2018. Sarah Stier/Getty Images

This is the most interesting reality.

Shurmur said Manning has “years” left. GM Dave Gettleman tried to center one more run around the scrutinized quarterback, only to see his team start 1-7. However, with 2019’s prospect pool lacking the top-tier depth of 2018’s crop, is it possible the Giants delay this decision again?

With $32 million in projected cap space (19th in the NFL), the Giants’ best chance at improving their long-overmatched offensive line is through the draft. A glut of defensive linemen is expected to go off the board early. Would it surprise if Gettleman springs for Alabama tackle Jonah Williams? The current top-rated offensive lineman, Williams has right tackle experience — a position at which the Giants have lacked dependability since…Kareem McKenzie? — and could make a Brandon Scherff-esque move inside to play opposite left guard Will Hernandez.

This, plus the likely free-agency investment Gettleman makes in a high- or mid-level blocker, would give the Giants their best offensive front since the Super Bowl group. Offensive line play affected Manning’s descent. Switching Manning's and Ben Roethlisberger’s lines probably produces a far different late-30s stretch for the embattled Giants signal-caller, who’s been sacked a career-high 46 times in 2018 and has looked skittish in pockets for multiple seasons. By contrast, Roethlisberger has been taken down 23 times this season.

Is it too late to bother with this? How close are the Giants to a playoff resurgence?

Even with a better line, holes exist across their defense. Should a determination be made that a Haskins trade-up is not worth it or that a selection of another passing prospect does not change the equation appropriately, any improvement the Giants make in 2019 will cost them 2020 draft real estate.

Should the Giants save their trade chips for the Herbert-Jake Fromm-Tua Tagovailoa class? Or does Haskins’ skill set justify making their move in April? Because with true 2019 contention appearing far-fetched, the Giants need to focus on the answer to this question rather than adding a patch-job veteran.

If this offseason does not produce a quarterback acquisition, it should involve securing young free agents who will still have prime years left by the time the to-be-determined rookie savior arrives.

Familiar with Shurmur’s system and revered by much of this fan base, Manning is a better option than anyone realistically available to take the snaps until then.

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