Eli Manning focusing on 49ers and nothing else

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning is focused on beating the 49ers and nothing else, which means he heard head coach Pat Shurmur's bye week message loud and clear: Win or else.

“You worry about this week,” Manning said Thursday of his reaction to Shurmur's message that there are no guarantees past Week 10. “We got the 49ers. I got a job to do, and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability.”

Manning, 37, said of Shurmur's transparency, “It's always good. Communication is important. We've always been good at that and (have been) on the same page. It's always helpful just knowing where everybody stands.”

Last season, head coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese were fired after they and ownership mishandled their attempt to move on from Manning in Week 13. Part of their mistake was going to Geno Smith instead of rookie QB Davis Webb.

But Tuesday, head coach Pat Shurmur said this season he “absolutely” would consider putting in 30-year-old backup Alex Tanney, not just rookie Kyle Lauletta, if he makes a change.

There is no discernible logic to the team's evaluation of that position's future by doing so, but that appears to be under consideration. Tanney has appeared in one NFL game in his career, back in 2015 for the Tennessee Titans, relieving starter Zach Mettenberger and completing 10 of 14 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.

“Absolutely,” Shurmur said. “It goes without saying, we've had him as number two throughout. We just don't stack them up willy-nilly.”

Manning said in support of Lauletta after his arrest last week, “I understand it's a tough, tough situation. Just try to support him, and knowing that this will get forgotten about. It could be a lot worse. It'll kind of be water under the bridge in a little bit.”

Strange dealings

Shurmur intimated Thursday that return man Quadree Henderson could be activated again off the practice squad for Monday night's game, an about-face after the Giants waived Henderson on Tuesday to make room for rookie R.J. McIntosh. Henderson cleared waivers and was re-signed to the practice squad on Wednesday.

“We had to make a roster move to get R.J. up. He's cleared,” Shurmur said. “We certainly can make a roster move all the way up until game day, so there's always a chance we can bring (Henderson) up. But we had to make a roster move that required us releasing someone and so we did that.”

Shurmur did not elaborate on why the Giants elected to waive Henderson over the numerous players on his roster who have contributed less than Henderson, and also undoubtedly would have cleared.

The Giants waived RB Jhurell Pressley from the practice squad to make room for Henderson.

Injury report

WR Jawill Davis (concussion) was limited in Thursday's practice. LB Alec Ogletree (hamstring) and OT Chad Wheeler( ankle) were full participants.