New York Giants face interesting question with Eli Manning, Nick Foles

The New York Giants have to figure out what direction they are going under center.

Currently, it appears general manager Dave Gettleman is willing to roll with Eli Manning one more season. The problem is that Manning, 38, has been rapidly declining in recent seasons. New York has a bey of talent around him in Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram, and yet the offense is largely a pop-gun operation.

However, the offensive line has been in shambles for years, leading to an immobile Manning getting buried under an avalanche of defenders. With all that in mind, Gettleman at least has to consider the possibility of moving on to both save cap space and his offense.

Want $250 to bet on NFL futures?

FanSided’s Jason Cole has reported that the Philadelphia Eagles were hoping to prevent Nick Foles from hitting the open market, largely because they fear he’ll end up with Big Blue. While Foles is going to have options that likely include the Jacksonville Jaguars and former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, New York would be an interesting fit for the 30-year-old. Unlike Jacksonville, Foles would immediately have a cavalcade of weapons at his disposal.

Releasing Manning would trigger a savings of $17 million, which would almost certainly be a higher number than Foles’ contract in 2019. The Giants would be saving money and have the ability to bolster the aforementioned offensive line, giving Foles protection. There are a litany of quality options in that regard, including Trent Brown, Rodger Saffold, Mitch Morse, Matt Paradis and others.

Ultimately, the New York Giants also have the third option of drafting a quarterback to sit for a year and then replace Manning. With the No. 6 pick in the first round, Gettleman could opt to take Dwayne Haskins out of Ohio State or Drew Lock from the University of Missouri. Then there’s Kyler Murray, the Oklahoma standout who took home the Heisman Trophy back in December. Many believe Murray is going to end up towards the top fo the first round, despite the expectation that he’ll measure well below the six-foot mark.

Read: NFL & Colin Kaepernick Reach Confidential Settlement in Collusion Case

If Murray does indeed creep into the top 10, the Giants could make a gigantic splash by adding his athleticism and arm to an offense tailor-made for his abilities. New York could then choose to either sit him for a year — a la Patrick Mahomes and Alex Smith — or still release Manning, save $17 million, invest in the line and roll with Murray.

There are a bevy of options at the fingertips of Gettleman. Now he has to chose which route he wants to take.