{"id":38171,"date":"2018-02-21T12:57:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T17:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=38171"},"modified":"2018-02-21T12:57:00","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T17:57:00","slug":"quarterback-qualms-addressing-giants-options-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2018\/02\/21\/quarterback-qualms-addressing-giants-options-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Addressing the New York Giants Quarterback Options"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Giants<\/a> have already used their off-season impressively\u2014acting quickly to hire and officially announce a very capable roster of coaches last week. Their most interesting hire, offensive coordinator Mike Shula<\/strong>, has already sparked debate amongst the fanbase. New head coach Pat Shurmur<\/strong> has indicated<\/a> that he anticipates Shula having a chief role in developing their quarterbacks; a role that lacks clarity, as there are still so many questions about what the staff will decide to do with their roster.<\/p>\n

After the highly criticized benching of Eli Manning<\/strong><\/a> in Week 13 by the ostracized Ben McAdoo<\/strong>, questions began to arise about whether Davis Webb<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or Geno Smith<\/strong><\/a> are capable of carrying Big Blue to victory. Manning, the club\u2019s 13-year veteran, has received support from Shurmur in his interactions with the press thus far. However, with a highly praised upcoming class of quarterbacks in this year\u2019s draft, and interesting recent developments in free agency, the G-men have plenty of\u00a0quarterback options, outside of those currently on their roster.<\/p>\n

Addressing the New York Giants Quarterback Options<\/h1>\n

Option 1: Drafting Anew<\/h2>\n

On April 26th, the Giants staff will be put under the annual pressure of\u00a0selecting players who they hope will\u00a0make a positive impact on the field. While many were critical of the Manning benching, the fact remains that the franchise will eventually need to find his successor. The Cleveland Browns<\/a> have the number one pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and a crucial choice to make amongst the quarterback class. The Giants, however, have other needs, and don’t face the same pressure to find a new signal caller as do the Browns.<\/p>\n

Murmurs of interest in Penn State running back Saquon Barkley<\/strong> have sparked serious intrigue, as having he could be a great offensive weapon for\u00a0Manning. But in the first go-round of their mock drafts, ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr.<\/strong> and Todd McShay<\/strong> projected<\/a> that the G-men would select\u00a0Josh Rosen<\/strong> of UCLA, a clean passer with an accurate arm, despite his injury history. Kiper also has Barkley as his number one overall, followed by Bradley Chubb<\/strong>, a noteworthy defensive talent from North Carolina State, who would be a choice asset to the Giants secondary. The team needs to make a quick turnaround, but that means that all roster positions need to be considered, so, while the Giants need to prepare for a future after Eli Manning,\u00a0selecting a quarterback\u00a0might not the\u00a0best use of the coveted second overall pick.<\/p>\n

Option 2: Free Agents<\/h2>\n

With the start of the new league year less than a month away, there have already been a bounty of surprises in free agency. Upon news of the Washington Redskins<\/a> deal to trade for Alex Smith<\/strong><\/a>, they are expected to let go of the twice-franchised playmaker Kirk Cousins<\/strong><\/a>, who will hit the market at a price that will likely be too steep for Big Blue. But the Giants will still\u00a0put some serious thought into the few budget-friendly free agents at the centerpiece position. It is vital to consider Shurmur\u2019s notoriety as a quarterback whisperer, particularly when looking at these options. After leading the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> offense to the NFC championship this past season, Giants president John Mara<\/strong> and chairman Steve Tisch<\/strong> praised<\/a>\u00a0Shurmur’s \u201coutstanding track record in developing young players.\u201d Sam Bradford<\/strong><\/a> began his professional career under Shurmur\u2019s tutelage with the vintage St. Louis Rams<\/a>, before following him to the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>, and then ultimately to the Vikings, where he started 15 games in the 2016 season and was named the the starter in 2017 before injuring his knee in the first game.<\/p>\n

The Vikings then turned to backup Case Keenum<\/strong><\/a> for the majority of the 2017 season, as Teddy Bridgewater<\/strong><\/a> was still recovering from injury. All three of those quarterbacks\u00a0will be\u00a0free agents this off-season. Two (Bradford and Bridgewater), carry substantial risk due to their injury histories, though they both have quite a bit of time left, provided they are well-protected on the field, considering their ages. Bradford clearly has a strong history with Shurmur, and Keenum was his guy on the fly this past season, performing far better than anticipated. Either are suitable options for the Giants should they take the leap and trade away Eli, and\/or release Geno Smith back into free agency.\u00a0Both Bradford and Bridgewater\u00a0have the experience and skill to help the Giants\u00a0immediately\u00a0while Shurmur and Shula work with Davis Webb to groom him for the future.<\/p>\n

Option 3: Stick with the Program<\/h2>\n

In reality, Eli Manning\u00a0is still a formidable quarterback. While many feel that he\u2019s nearing the end of his rope, he was certainly betrayed when he was benched last year, interrupting his 210-game streak as a starter. Whether or not he decides to move on to a franchise that he feels might better appreciate him (perhaps the Denver Broncos<\/a> in exchange for another high draft pick; or the Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a>, where Tom Coughlin<\/strong> expressed disappointment at\u00a0Manning’s benching, and support of his former player), or stick with the club that built him, he still has the potential to follow in his brother Peyton Manning<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s footsteps and earn himself one more ring.<\/p>\n

In his introductory press conference, Shurmur said that he was excited to get to know Davis Webb, citing the lack of tape that exists on the player. While what\u00a0was seen\u00a0from Webb in his rookie year was unimpressive in quality and minimal in quantity, there\u2019s no telling what Shurmur could teach the young athlete.<\/p>\n

The Giants definitely have\u00a0questions at quarterback. Depending on what is decided regarding the contracts of Manning and Smith, there will likely be an opening on the roster for a new guy in the draft or free agency. Regardless, however, of the moves that are made at this position, there is a high level of expectation and pressure on the new staff in East Rutherford to make improvements, and fast.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>