A TANGLED WEBB

For first time, it’s a sticky situation for Eli in QB room

ELI MANNING is at a crossroads, a 36-year-old quarterback coming off a so-so season, hearing unprecedented attacks on his integrity and facing his football mortality, with a 22-year-old rookie about to enter his orbit.

Manning is the franchise quarterback, the face of the Giants and revered in the building. For months now, team executives have been spreading seeds that finally germinated Friday night with the third-round selection of Davis Webb. Before this, all the talk of Manning being “on the back nine’’ and the desire to put in place a succession plan was logical, but harmless, a theory without a solution — until a name and body was added to the equation.

There is now a living, breathing, 6-foot-5 youngster f illed with eagerness, excitement and, yes, some disappointment — he did not think he should have lasted until the 87th pick in the draft — about to share the quarterback room with Mr. Manning. That room is always an intimate setting, never occupied by more than two or three players, and the dynamic Manning has been accustomed to in his domain is about to change.

His introduction to the room, in 2004, was facilitated by Kurt Warner, whose tenuous hold on the starting job was going to be brief, lasting only until the coaching staff spotted the slightest glimmer that rookie Eli could take the field with- out embarrassing himself. Since then, it has been a series of No. 2s and 3s posing absolutely no threat to Manning’s reign. There was a guy on the way down (David Carr), career backups (Sage Rosenfels, Tim Hasselbeck, Josh Johnson), guys even less than that (Jared Lorenzen, Curtis Painter).

And then, for the past four years, there was Ryan Nassib, the only quarterback drafted in the fourth round or higher in Manni ng’s f i rs t 13 seasons. The Giants hoped they could groom Nassib into something, but he was never, ever, going to push Manning for playing time.

When Nassib came aboard as a fourth-round pick in 2013, Manning was 32 years old and one season removed from winning a Super Bowl. The general ma n a g e r, Je rr y Reese, famously stated, “If he doesn’t ever play, that

would be great.’’ As it turned out, the Giants were not happy with Nassib’s progress, he hurt his elbow, and he is gone. Geno Smith and Johnson will battle for the No. 2 spot as Manning’s backup, capable — we think — of subbing in a game or for a week or two if what never happens — Eli getting hurt — happens. Webb wi l l hold a clipboard and learn, refining the skills the Giants envision as one day being sharp enough to move in when Manning moves out. For now, Webb is no threat. But he is in the building, meaning he is in the Giants’ bloodstream. And Manning has never, ever had to work alongside a teammate deemed to be his replacement. “It’s more of a lightning-rod type of pick,’’ admitted Marc Ross, the Giants’ vice president of player evaluation, “as opposed to picking a [defensive tackle] or corner and stuff like that. A quarterback has all these innuendos and questions about why you’re taking him and what you’re going to do with him. It’s the most important position in sports, so of course it’s going to get the most attention.’’ Manning will be helpful, but he always has been more of a “watch me’’ mentor, and it is doubtful he is going to be overly nurturing to Webb. Manning is closer to 40 than 30, married with three daughters, with a spacious home in suburban New Jersey, another on the East End of Long Island and another in Oxford, Miss., devoted to numerous charities that absorb his time. When Manning came to the Giants, Webb was 9 years old. Already, Manning has reached out to Webb, welcoming him, an air of professionalism already established. That is Eli. But his marching orders are to stave off Father Time and keep the Giants in the playoffs. Sometime soon, Eli most likely will initiate Webb by switching the rookie’s phone to Chinese language —a favorite Manning prank. He will show him the ropes. But Eli is going to do everything in his power to make sure this apprenticeship lasts at least until his contract expires, three years hence.

The Giants are coming off a strange season, a success in the standings (11-5 record). Manning and his offense, though, did not get the job done. Now he is under fire for his alleged involvement in a memorabilia scandal, and while this might blow over, he clearly is angered and hurt by the accusations, evidenced by his emotional denials two weeks ago.

Now his possible successor is on the scene. It is not yet late early for Eli, but, for the first time in his career, there’s a ticking clock he needs to slow.