TIME TICKING ON ELI
Giants eventually will bench Eli to get look at rookie QB this season
LAULETTA WILL GET CHANCE TO START BEFORE SEASON ENDS
THE CALL has not yet been made for Kyle Lauletta to start warming up in the bullpen. But he should be getting loose.
The record of 1-6 and the trades the past two days of cornerback Eli Apple and defensive tackle Damon “Snacks’’ Harrison are clear signs the Giants are looking beyond this miserable season and rebuilding for the future. Coach Pat Shurmur will try to win every one of the remaining nine games, of course, but will do so with a diminished roster and an eye toward who can help the cause down the road.
This means unless there is a dramatic turnaround — do not bet on it — Eli Manning cannot and will not remain as the startingtarting quarterback for the entire season. This means Lauletta will get a start — multiple starts — much sooner than anticipated.
“I can get myself ready, there’s no excuses for me not to be ready,’’ Lauletta told The Post on Wednesday. “I prepare hardrd and work hard every day to tryy to get myself better. I’m gonna bee ready if my number’s called.’’
This new regime has already made a ton of personnel mistakesistakes and struck out in thinking thishis waswas a playoff contender as the roster was reshaped on the fly. Seven games into the grand plan, general manager Dave Gettleman admit-admitted the error of his ways, notnot by his words but by his deeds.ds. At some point this season, therehere will be a discussion with coachoach Pat Shurmur and there willl be a determination as to the rightght time to get the rookie quar-arterback onto the field.
The Giants face the Red-skins on Sunday at MetLifee Stadium — won’t that be a festive atmosphere? — thenn get a Week 9 bye, a good time too re-reassess. The expectation isis Manning will remain as the starter coming out of the byee for a Nov. 12 game at San Francisco.cisco. The Giants do not need to see nine starts out of Lauletta to determine what they have. But they do need to see him start games.
Nothing Manning can do will ever diminish his standing within an organization that adores him. After he is through playing, he will be hailed and welcomed when-whenever he returns. This is eating at him. He showed some emotion standing in front of his locker Wednesday as the questions about trades and tanking and his future filled the air, as much as Manning tried to redirect the conversation to football and the Redskins.
He says he is not thinking about a Giants plan moving forward without him. “No, my focus and my worries are on Washington and getting prepared to play each game this season,” Manning said. Of course. This is Eli Manning, stoic. But he is also human. Would he consider playing for another team? “Just not something I’m thinking about,’’ he said. “I’m thinking about playing for the Giants this week against the Washington Redskins. That’s the mindset. I haven’t brought myself to think about another scenario.’’ He did put a no-trade clause into his most recent contract language. “That’s just kind of agent stuff, I guess,’’ Manning said. It is management’s job to look ahead. This uncomfortable transition will be handled less clumsily than last season’s Geno Smith-forManning maneuver, but it will be painful to Manning — who is 37 years old and is operating one of the NFL’s least effective offenses, despite having Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Saquon Barkley as weapons. Lauletta is a fourthround pick from Richmond, and Shurmur is intrigued with his instincts.
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and Manning is not going anywhere. But sentiment must be removed from the process. He threthrew for 399 yards, with no interceptceptions and compiled a passer ratinrating of 113.8 Monday night in Atlantalanta. Yet the Giants had six poinpoints through three quarters in a 23-220 loss. Manning has one year remremaining on a contract that will councount $23.2 million on the 2019 salarsalary cap. It is far more likely this is hihis final year with the Giants than it is he will return and the GianGiants will absorb that salary-cap hit ono a fading 38-year-old.
“YYou just have to see how everythinthing unfolds,’’ Lauletta said. “WeWe’re still gonna fight like hell to win the division, and Eli’s the quarquarterback for now. I’m gonna suppsupport him and help him. We’re still trying to win games, and coaccoaches feel Eli’s the best quarterbackback and gives us the best chance to wwin, so until that clock hits zero he’s gonna be the guy.’’
NeNext up for Shurmur is to find the rookie practice reps with the starstarting offense then determine the right time and place for him toto mmake his debut. ThThe Giants are headed for a high pick in the 2019 draft pick, and if Oregon’s Justin Herbert declareclares, he could be next in line. UntiUntil then, the Giants need to know what they have. The future is nonot Eli Manning.