I hope Eli stays with the Giants and becomes the highest paid guy who holds the clipboard. I love Eli, but he's not Peyton. He's not winning an SB or getting there for another team. If anything, he should make the Giants pay to get rid of him because I believe he has a No Trade clause.
Right now, the Giants are a poorly run organization.
They are an incredibly poorly run organization right now.
The proper play was to cut ties with Eli before the season began.
Now? They should tell him he's only playing again if Jones gets hurt and ask him if he wants a trade or to be released. Let him decide based on that.
And yea, he can still help the right team. The Giants simply aren't that team. They're not 0-2 because of Eli - they're 0-2 because their defense is a sieve and the head coach makes baffling play call decisions (like having a 3rd and 2 in the last possible opportunity to stay in the game in the 4th quarter against Dallas, and not having your stud running back touch the ball once).
I'd be slightly concerned that he's simply shell shocked from all the hits he's taken over the past 3-4 seasons (thus why he's so frustratingly quick to throw it to the check down instead of stand in the pocket and let it fly like during the super bowl years).
Eli is not and was not ever prime Peyton (although I'll argue Eli showed better in the post season than Peyton ever did).
That said, Peyton was pretty terrible when he won with Denver. They won despite him. He was benched late in the season in favor of Brock Osweiler and had a 67.9 passer rating. Eli, now, today, is better than Peyton was in his final season with Denver.
Indianapolis would have made sense, but they gave a decent chunk of change to two Tom Brady backups. Pittsburgh could make sense, as would Jacksonville. That's about it.
Honestly I wish he'd step aside and retire. If not, and it pains me to say it, if they can't trade him, they should cut him.
And this is why I say that...
Instead of rattling off platitudes about the upcoming opponent, Manning was answering questions about his football mortality following his benching. At one point he was asked, “Is this the end of Eli Manning?”
“Who knows?” Manning said. “Again, I’m not dying and the season’s not over.”
The door for Eli with the Giants should be slammed shut. In order for Jones to really be able to develop, he shouldn't have to have a QB who clearly still wants to play, and is a legend in the franchise's history, hanging over his shoulder.
I don't doubt that Eli will be classy. He's been nothing but since his arrival. But to so this right it absolutely has to be Daniel Jones' team now. Which means I think Eli needs to go.
