To many NFL observers, the writing on the wall says this is Eli Manning’s last season with the Giants. But the veteran quarterback wants back in New York next year and believes the team is not far from competing for another Super Bowl title.
Manning, 37, has two years left on his contact, but since the Giants would owe him a significant roster bonus in March, it appears unlikely he’ll make it that far. Additionally, New York's to-be-hired GM and coach may want to freshen up the roster with a new quarterback, who could be acquired with their pick near the top of the 2018 NFL Draft in April.
Regardless, Manning wants an opportunity to try to keep his job.
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“Whether they think [current backup] Davis Webb is the quarterback or they get a quarterback and there’s competition, I can compete,” Manning said Tuesday on WFAN (via Newsday). “I don’t mind competition. I think that’s always part of it, you’re trying to compete for the starting job and get better. I do want to play. I don’t know how many more years I do have but I do think I can play at a high level and while I can, I want to be out there.”
He’s also confident in the Giants’ prospects moving forward.
“It may be hard to realize or say it but I don’t think the Giants are far off,” Manning said. “We won 11 games [in 2016], played a lot of teams tough this year with injuries and losing guys. It was one of those years we lost a lot of tight games or games getting down to the fourth quarter and we just couldn’t quite compete just because we lost too many guys or just lost some heart-breakers ... I don’t think it’s far off once you get some guys back.”
But should the Giants move on from Eli, he wants to play elsewhere.
“I think I still have good football in me,” he said. “I don’t want to stop playing football. This is all I want to do. I don’t have a backup plan, I don’t have something I’m looking forward to doing when this is done.”