Manning move doesn’t add up
McAdoo’s timing shows little respect for Giants veteran quarterback
In a move that shocked the NFL community, New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo has decided to bench two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning with five games left in the team’s disaster of a season.
“I have a lot of confidence in Eli as a player, as a quarterback,” McAdoo told reporters. “At this point it’s my responsibility for the organization to make sure we take a look at Geno and at Davis (Webb).”
Take a look at Smith, who was a bust with the Jets, and Webb, a rookie thirdround pick? With five games left?
Look, it’s no surprise the Giants will likely go a different direction at quarterback next season. But the fact that McAdoo would bench Manning — the face of the franchise since 2004 — is surprising. And the timing displays little respect for Manning and questionable judgment.
Said general manager Jerry Reese, “This is not a statement about anything other than we are 2-9 and we have to do what is best for the organization moving forward, and that means evaluating every position. I told Eli this morning that an organization could not ask for any more in a franchise quarterback. He has been that and more. Nobody knows what the future holds, but right now, this is what we think is best for the franchise.”
But is it?
Sure, no one knows what the future holds, and McAdoo said this doesn’t mean the Manning era in New York has ended. But you can’t put any stock in that statement. It’s hard to envision Eli in a Giants uniform next year. Not after this. And not considering the fact he’s owed a $5 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2018 league year (March).
It was already believed that Manning could wind up elsewhere in 2018.
But the decision to essentially move on from him with five games left in the season is a head scratcher, and it’s unlikely to accomplish any good for the franchise.
Neither Geno Smith nor Davis Webb is a more talented or capable quarterback than Manning, even at the age of 36. And given the state of this team, the Giants will not truly learn much about either quarterback through this lateseason action, league insiders agree.
So moving on from Manning does what exactly, other than risking further losing the locker room, oh, and ensuring more losses and a better draft pick?
It’s possible the Giants already had started to phone it in, but now that their coach has made a move that many players (current and former) around the league take as a sign of disrespect, it’s unlikely McAdoo will get prime effort from any player.
Even at 2-9, you never want to send the message that the season is over. But going away from a veteran such as Manning, who owns the NFL’s active start streak of 210 games, is waving the white flag.
Chalk it up to another poor decision by McAdoo.
A year after finishing 11-5 after loading up on defense and then adding to their offense in the offseason with the paring of Brandon Marshall with Odell Beckham Jr., nothing has gone right for the Giants.
Marshall and Beckham were lost to season-ending injuries early in the year. Defensive players have clashed with the coaching staff, and that unit has underperformed. An offensive line neglected by team officials during the offseason has failed to protect the quarterback and pave the way for a quality running game.
Manning isn’t to blame for any of these factors. McAdoo is to blame for a number of issues though.
But what’s interesting is despite the disarray of the team under McAdoo, the Giants owners pledged loyalty to him, resisting outside pressure to fire him during the season.
Just a few weeks later, however, McAdoo hasn’t displayed the same loyalty and respect to the quarterback who has meant so much to the franchise for the last decade-plus.
The right thing to do was to let Manning finish out the season. But McAdoo got it wrong and despite apparent support from Reese.
Can’t help but wonder if the coach could wind up having to look for a job in the offseason, not another quarterback.