Gettleman: Eli Manning to return as Giants QB in 2018

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has had conversations with the team’s biggest stars, quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Gettleman, who is attending the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala., said Manning will return in 2018, and newly hired coach Pat Shurmur is on board with that.

Gettleman was a Giants personnel executive from 1999-2012 and the Panthers’ general manager from 2013-16.

“It was just fun to catch up with him,” he said of his recent chat with Manning. “Eli came into the league when I was there, and I hadn’t seen him in five years except for that one game in 2013 when we played them. It was just fun to catch up on a personal level.”

Manning had an inconsistent season in 2017, but a 434-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 3429 loss to the Eagles on Dec. 17 showed he still had a lot of life in his arm.

“I had an opportunity to watch (that game),” Gettleman said. “Quarterback is the most important position on the team. At the end of the day, it wasn’t a mirage. It was not a mirage.”

Beckham played only four games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Gettleman said Beckham is rehabbing and wasn’t sure if he’ll be ready for OTAs this spring.

“I had a chat with Odell. Had a great chat with him,” Gettleman said. “In that (2014) draft — people are going to call me crazy — in that draft, the only guy who I would have took over Kelvin Benjamin was Odell.”

Beckham was the 12th overall pick and Benjamin was selected 28th.

“The bottom line is he’s a wondrously talented player and I’m looking forward to working with him,” Gettleman said.