While many think the cure to Eli Manning’s struggles is an upgraded offensive line, there’s no guarantee it will do the trick. The New York Giants have allocated plenty of resources towards the line and creating a comfortable pocket for Manning to operate in, but it’s certainly possible that father-time has caught up to the 15-year veteran.
This brings up an important question.
What should the New York Giants do if Eli Manning struggles in 2019?
One thing is for sure, the Giants didn’t draft a quarterback with the 6th overall pick for him to watch the offense throw up duds every weekend. I expect that head coach Pat Shurmur and Co. wouldn’t hesitate to throw Daniel Jones into the mix if absolutely necessary.
After all, offensive coordinator Mike Shula believes that he could be the day 1 starter if needed.
“I think he’d be ready to go†when asked if Jones could be a Day 1 starter. “He has that capability,†Shula said.
Jones is entering the NFL a refined passer with the ability to make the right choices when under pressure. The talent around him at Duke certainly limited his potential, but with Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, and the ever-exciting Saquon Barkley by his side, there’s hope the Giants’ offense could function at a decent level.
However, replacing Manning isn’t the ideal scenario. Allowing Jones to learn from Manning and sit for an entire season would do wonders for his development — physically and mentally. Taking over mid-season for the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback isn’t a situation the Giants or Jones needs to be in, as it has controversy written all over it.
That’s the type of circumstance that the New York media gobbles up in one sitting. Now, we know that the Giants’ first-round pick isn’t expecting to earn any meaningful playing time until 2020, or maybe even beyond, but he must be prepared for the worst case scenario.
What will Jones be working on in his rookie season?
Preparation — that’s the process Jones will be developing and soaking in from Manning. Learning how to win isn’t as easy as stepping on the field and slinging the ball around, it requires plenty of film-work, studying opposing coverages, maintaining your body, etc.
These are all factors Jones must perfect before taking the field once Manning either retires or sees his contract expire without an extension in place. Luckily, he’s learning from the best preparation-oriented quarterback out there.