After eight straight weeks of mediocrity, the New York Giants are sitting at 1-7 and are in a position to rid themselves of quarterback Eli Manning. Prior to the start of the regular season, analysts anticipated a big year for Manning and the offense, especially with the drafting of running back Saquon Barkley.
A so-called, “re-vamped offensive line,” elevated optimism around the club, but so far, those positive thoughts have now subsided into devastation. Manning is clearly degrading at an astronomical level due to poor offensive line play, and his weapons are becoming frustrated with every passing loss.
The question is: Was Saquon Barkley the right pick for the New York Giants?
Looking back at the draft, Barkley was clearly the best athlete and most gifted player available, but would taking a quarterback have been the better move?
The entire premise behind taking Barkley would be that Manning would be able to lead the offense and provide juggernaut offensive performances. Clearly, that reality has hit a brick wall. Personally, I still believe Barkley was the right pick, simply because he’s more than just a running back.
The second-overall pick has proven that he’s a capable leader, a world-class runner/receiver, and the face of a struggling franchise. We will compare him to Cardinals’ Josh Rosen for this example.
Rosen was selected with the 10th overall pick by Arizona. He was supposed to sit behind Sam Bradford before taking over the starting role but an injury to Bradford forced him into the game. So far, Arizona’s offensive line has put Rosen in an eerily similar situation to what Manning’s going through. The only development he’s receiving is game-experience, and a passer like Rosen will never succeed behind a porous offensive line.
Realistically, this is a toss-away year for the Cardinals and their rookie passer. Rosen has committed several ugly turnovers, which from my seat seems to be morally battering for a young player. The Giants on the other hand received a star running back that will offer their next signal caller an immense weapon to rely on. Whether it’s Kyle Lauletta or current Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, the torch will be passed on with an arsenal of weapons waiting in the wings.
Now, on the flip-side you could make the argument that it would have been better to have a rookie QB sit behind Manning and learn the ropes, similar to what Lauletta is currently experiencing. A first-rounder learning from a Super Bowl winning QB could have been extremely beneficial, but it’s hard to imagine that he would be learning anything relevant considering the year Manning is having. The best wisdom he can pass forward is worth ethic and humbleness, as his mental processing seems to be far from what it once was.