The New York Giants are embarking on an inevitable QB controversy whether they like it or not. John Mara is going to have the final say on the transfer of guard from Manning to Jones and he must get it right this time around.
Let’s flashback to the 2017 NFL Season when the Giants ended Eli Manning’s 13 seasons, 210 consecutive start streak in favor of Geno Smith. The team was eliminated from the playoffs and were playing a meaningless game against a sub-par .500 raiders team.
Heading towards a high draft pick with a 2-9 record, it made sense for the team to see what they had in rookie QB Davis Webb, right? Wrong. The team is a classless move decided its best action was to bench the best QB in franchise history for a player that already had shown he is nothing more than a backup in the NFL.
Fast forward to today and a similar situation is developing in John Mara’s hands. The difference is the newly drafted QB is a #6th overall pick who begs the question of not if but when he will take over the reins from Eli Manning?
Pat Shurmur has reiterated throughout the offseason on playing the best QB and making sure Daniel Jones is ready to play week 1. John Mara came out on Tuesday and similarly talked to reporters reassuring everyone who the Giants starting QB is.
“I hope Eli has a great year and Daniel never sees the field,” Mara told reporters at the Giants training facility (CBS Sports).
Here is the question the Giants coaching staff along with ownership must ask themselves during the regular season:
Is Eli Manning holding back the Giant’s offense?
Regardless of the New York Giants record, the team has to play the QB that gives them the best chance to win. This motto has been what Pat Shurmur has told the media over and over again foreshadowing a potential change if needed.
Teams in the past have been able to move on from their franchise QB leaving emotion out of the decision. Look at Brett Favre and the Packers, Peyton Manning with the Colts. Not to mention these two players were statistically better with their first teams than Eli Manning has been in his career with the Giants. The Giants cannot hesitate to make a change if Manning starts to struggle with the future of their franchise sitting on the bench.
John Mara understands all that Eli Manning has done for the Giants. A two time Super Bowl champion is hard to move on from. However, when the time is right he must sign off on a QB change.
For Eli’s sake, hopefully, he plays 16 games and Jones doesn’t see the field.