Mara wants Eli back, with new hires’ input
John Mara wants Eli Manning to return in 2018, but a new general manager and coach will have a say in that decision, the Giants co-owner told reporters Wednesday.
The Giants will start the formal process of replacing fired general manager Jerry Reese next week, Mara said Wednesday at the NFL owners meeting in Irving, Texas.
“Yes,” Mara said when asked if he wants Manning back, according to Newsday. “But that’s a discussion that we’ll have. ... We still think he can play, but we obviously have to get better around him.”
Mara, Reese and deposed coach Ben McAdoo concocted a plan for Manning to continue his franchise-record streak of consecutive starts, but he would give way to backup Geno Smith at some point during the game Dec. 3 at Oakland. Manning balked at the plan, so Smith started and Manning’s streak ended at 210 games.
McAdoo and Reese were fired after the loss to the Raiders, and interim coach Steve Spagnuolo returned Manning to the starting role.
Manning, 36, is in the midst of his worst season since 2013. He’s averaging his fewest passing yards per game since 2008 and has 15 touchdown passes in 12 games. The fewest touchdown passes he has had in a full season in his career were the 18 he threw in 2013. He’s currently 25th in the NFL with an 82.4 passer rating.
The Giants are on pace to secure the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. There are several quarterbacks in contention to be the top pick, and even if the Browns, who currently hold the No. 1 pick, were to take one of them, the Giants would have options at the position if they are interested.
“We’re in a unique position to take a quarterback if we want, but I’m not certain at this point they will be the highest-graded players on the board,” Mara told reporters. “That will be a discussion with the new general manager and new head coach. I’ve watched all of them [on television] except for that Wyoming kid [Josh Allen]. They’re all impressive.”
Mara said the Giants will begin interviewing candidates for the GM vacancy next week, and didn’t rule out having one in place before the end of the season.