Eli Manning said something on Monday, which might exclude from playing in 2020. The New York Giants quarterback said being a backup to rookie Daniel Jones was “no fun.” When asked if he’d consider serving as a backup for another team, he said, “I doubt it.”
That’s a problem, because the teams that might consider bringing in Manning are likely to also bring on a high-profile rookie. That’s just what history says about quarterbacks like Manning, whose recent track record isn’t one of success. If a team signs Manning, it will also want to hedge its bet with a developmental prospect at the position. If things fall apart with Manning — and they almost certainly will — Manning’s new team will want to have a contingency play, one that provides hope for the organization. That’s where a rookie comes in.
Manning could follow in the footsteps of Nick Foles, who joined the Jaguars as the starter but didn’t hold the position for long. This happened to Joe Flacco in Denver, Sam Bradford in Arizona, Mike Glennon in Chicago and Matt Flynn in Seattle. With the rookie wage scale tapering a youngster’s earning power, teams are going to favor a struggling rookie over a struggling veteran. So if Manning is unwilling to serve as a backup, teams probably won’t want to risk having him as the initial starter if he’ll end up moping on the sideline when they almost inevitably bench him.
To make things worse for Manning, the free agency market could boast two veteran quarterbacks who are of a better caliber. Philip Rivers and Tom Brady are slated to be free agents. If they hit the open market, it’s hard to imagine a team preferring Manning over either of those quarterback.
There is, perhaps, one fit for Manning: the Oakland Raiders. Perhaps Jon Gruden wants to ditch Derek Carr, sign Manning and draft a rookie. And perhaps Gruden can make assurances that rookie, potentially taken with one of Oakland’s two first-round picks, won’t play in Manning’s first season with the team. It seems a little farfetched.
At this point, Manning is likely to serve as placeholder for a younger quarterback. If he’s unwilling to play that part, he may not have a job in the NFL in 2020.
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