GIANTS

l Listening to Dave Gettleman and Manning’s standing in the organization improves with each week that goes by as the Giants distance themselves from the 3-13 season. By the time training camp arrives, Eli will have just led another game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. Gettleman and Shurmur are smart to build up Manning but the tape doesn’t lie. Manning is 37 and his skills have eroded playing behind a bad offensive line for the last five years.

l All the talk about the declining importance of the running game is a bunch of nonsense. Zeke Elliott, Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, Leonard Fournette are indispensable. Barkley is a great player. A three-down back who can run and catch. A great kid. But the Eagles just won the Super Bowl with LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi and

Corey Clement had in 2016. He has a big arm and he’s accurate. Allen threw a 66-yarder on target at the combine. That’s fun to watch but realistically, no offensive line ever gives a QB enough time to throw a 66-yard pass. He had accuracy issues playing against low level competition. That’s more important. Of course, his receivers will improve in the NFL. He has the highest upside of any of the QBs but the greatest bust factor. My concern about Darnold: He’s from USC and has turnover problems. Sounds too much like Sanchez. I don’t think there’s any chance the Giants take Mayfield at No. 2.

WHAT DID BUTLER DO?

Malcolm Butler would be a good signing for the Jets. But first they must find out why Bill Belichick benched him in the Super Bowl. There’s been no logical explanation offered so far. Belichick offered his usual double talk mumbling... So far, the Browns have traded for Jarvis Landry and Tyrod Taylor. If the season started today, they are still an 0-16 team… The Browns must still take a QB either at No. 1 or No. 4... The Bills have two first-round picks, two secondround picks and two third-round picks. They are picking No. 21 and 22 in the first round so I would expect them to offer those picks as part of a package to move up for a QB.

THE CASE FOR DENVER

Case Keenum is Elway’s backup plan if he can’t get Cousins. But then he will also probably take a QB at No. 5. Elway whiffed in 2016 on Paxton Lynch... All the trades leading up to free agency feels like the NFL has a real trading deadline until the one that creates little action during the season. Traded so far: QB Alex Smith (Chiefs to Washington), CB Marcus Peters (Chiefs to Rams), DE Michael Bennett (Seahawks to Eagles), LB Alec Ogletree (Rams to Giants), Landry (Dolphins to Browns), Taylor (Bills to Browns), CB Damarious Randall (Packers to Browns), Torrey Smith (Eagles to Panthers), CB Aqib Talib (Broncos to Rams), DE Robert Quinn (Rams to Dolphins), QB DeShone Kizer (Browns to Packers). The Browns had $113 million in cap room before the trades, so they’ve become the dumping ground for inflated contracts. Between Landry and Taylor, that’s almost $32 million in cap space.