Giants To Stick With Eli Manning
Thursday night’s game left many wondering if this is the beginning of the end for Eli Manning. However, the two-time Super Bowl winner is not about to lose his job. 
“No. We believe in Eli,” coach Pat Shurmur said when asked if there will be a quarterback change (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
Last year, coach Ben McAdoo benched Eli Manning and was swiftly rewarded with a pink slip. The Giants want to give Manning an opportunity to turn things around, but team brass may also be afraid of fan backlash.
This time around, there may be less resistance to giving Eli the hook. After going 3-13 last year, the Giants are off to a 1-5 start and are on target for another top five pick. There will always be Manning supporters in New York, but billboards on the New Jersey Turnpike may be less effective this time around.
From a cap perspective, the Giants would have an easy time moving on from Manning this offseason if they want to. Manning’s contract runs through the end of the 2019 season, but the Giants can cut him this offseason with just $6.2MM in dead money versus a cap savings of $17MM.
Unfortunately for the Giants, they don’t have any glamorous options under center if they decide to bench Manning. Currently, journeyman Alex Tanney is No. 2 on the team’s QB depth chart with fourth-round rookie Kyle Lauletta as the third-string signal caller. When asked if a change could be coming at QB2, Shurmur sidestepped the question (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY).
Poll: Who Will Pick First Overall In The 2019 NFL Draft?
With nearly a third of the 2018 regular season in the books, it’s fair to start looking ahead to the 2019 draft, especially if you’re a fan of a team that’s not looking like a playoff team this year. Using Football Outsiders’ DVOA On the Clock report, let’s take a look at a few teams who could secure the No. 1 overall selection in 2019:
Arizona Cardinals (19.6% chance of No. 1 pick, 61.5% chance of top-five pick)
The Cardinals allowed the Sam Bradford experiment to last for the better part of three games before turning things over to rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, who has appeared competent thus far. David Johnson is an All-Pro talent at running back, but Arizona hasn’t been very creative in its use of him, and he’s faced eight or more defenders in the box on 33.78% of his attempts, 10th-most in the league. The Cardinals are still as a top-10 defense in terms of DVOA (meaning they’re efficient) despite ranking as a bottom-10 unit in both yards allowed and scoring, so continued success on that side of the ball could move Arizona away from the top overall pick.
San Francisco 49ers (18.6%, 59.8%)
The 49ers’ top quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo), running back (Jerick McKinnon) and wide receiver (Marquise Goodwin) have all been injured this year, and each health issue helped push the 49ers’ chances of earning the No. 1 pick upward. With C.J. Beathard now leading San Francisco’s offense, and Alfred Morris taking over in the backfield for the time being while Matt Breida deals with an ankle injury, it’s unclear how many points the 49ers will be able to muster the rest of the way. Pair those offensive problems with a defense that ranks just 26th in adjusted sack rate, and San Francisco could be in the market for a top-five selection in 2019.
Buffalo Bills (13.2%, 56%)
While rookie signal-caller Josh Allen perhaps hasn’t looked as poor as many believed he would, he still ranks second-to-last among quarterbacks in adjusted net yards per attempt. His performance, as well as that of Buffalo’s porous offensive line, has contributed to the Bills ranking dead last in both yards per drive and points per drive. A surprisingly strong defense (and a full-effort approach that speaks well of head coach Sean McDermott) could help push the Bills towards the end of the top-10 picks, but their offense is going to hold them back.
Oakland Raiders (9.3%, 41.7%)
It’s a good thing Jon Gruden landed a 10-year contract because his first season with the Raiders isn’t going as planned. Oakland’s defense is the slowest in the NFL (which perhaps isn’t a surprise given that the Raiders are fielding the league’s oldest roster), and the club’s offense has been hit-or-miss. After trading superstar Khalil Mack, Oakland ranks dead last in sacks and second-to-last in adjusted sack rate. And, as a bonus, the Raiders get to face Patrick Mahomes twice a year for the next decade.
New York Giants (8.1%, 37.1%)
The Giants are the only team in the NFL that has at least a 5% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and at least a 10% chance of making the postseason, per Football Outsiders. That’s largely due to the lackluster quality of the NFC East, where no team is over the .500 mark, and New York’s remaining schedule, which ranks as the easiest in the league. On the other hand, FiveThirtyEight currently projects the Giants to finish with the NFL’s worst record, so until the NFC East clarifies itself, New York’s outlook is ¯_(ツ)_/¯.
Atlanta Falcons (8%, 35.3%)
The one team on this list that would have been a complete surprise coming into 2018, the Falcons have been decimated on the defensive side of the ball. Starting safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, plus linebacker Deion Jones, are all out for the season after suffering injuries, and Atlanta’s defense has responded in kind, giving up the second-most points in the league on a per-game basis. Matt Ryan and the rest of the Falcons’ offense can still win shootouts, but Atlanta could be in line to pick within the top-five for the first time since 2008.
So, what do you think? Will one of these teams land the No. 1 overall pick in 2019? Vote below!
Who will pick first overall in 2019?
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New York Giants 27% (676)
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Arizona Cardinals 21% (536)
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San Francisco 49ers 18% (456)
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Oakland Raiders 13% (332)
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Buffalo Bills 12% (310)
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Other (specify in comments) 5% (123)
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Atlanta Falcons 2% (61)
Total votes: 2,494
Is Manning To Blame For Giants' Struggles?
Is Eli Manning to blame for the Giants’ 1-4 start? That’s not necessarily a new question in New Jersey. People in the Giants organization began wondering if Manning was hindering the offense as early as four or five years ago, sources with knowledge of the club’s thinking tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
Recently, Odell Beckham Jr. made waves by questioning Manning’s effectiveness, among other things. One could argue that the offensive line is hindering the passing game, but that excuse might not hold up after the Giants signed left tackle Nate Solder to a four-year, $62MM deal with $34.8MM guaranteed.
Last year, Giants fans revolted when the club benched Manning in order to audition backup Geno Smith. Ultimately, the Giants reversed course by reinstate Manning as the starter and tossing GM Jerry Reese and coach Ben McAdoo on the Turnpike. If the Giants continue to struggle this year, the new regime might be able to move on from Manning without fan interference.
Manning’s contract runs through the end of the 2019 season, but the Giants can release him this offseason with just $6.2MM in dead money versus a cap savings of $17MM. The $17MM savings won’t be enough to sign an elite quarterback (if there is one available), but the Giants could find their signal caller of the future in the draft, particularly if they’re picking in the top five.
Giants Announce Engram As Out
- Speaking of injury news, the Giants have already ruled out tight end Evan Engram for Thursday night’s game against the Eagles, meaning Rhett Ellison, who has shouldered the load since Week 3, will take over at tight end once again. Edge rusher Oliver Vernon, who’s missed the entire season to this point with an ankle issue, will make his 2018 debut. On the other side of the field, the Eagles have listed defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, safety Corey Graham, and running back Darren Sproles as out. The latter two are especially concerning, as Philadelphia recent placed defensive back Rodney McLeod and running back Jay Ajayi on injured reserve.
Jaguars To Meet With Ereck Flowers
Former Giants tackle Ereck Flowers cleared waivers on Wednesday and will visit the Jaguars on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter hears that other teams are also interested in Flowers and want him to visit after he’s done in Jacksonville. 
The Giants waived the former first-round pick on Tuesday after they were unable to find a suitable trade for him. The lack of trade interest was not a surprise – Flowers has yet to do much of anything at the pro level and any club willing to take a flier on him was unwilling to absorb the final year of his rookie contract.
Still, the 6’6″, 329-pound tackle holds promise, and other teams are interested in seeing what he can do, particularly given the dearth of quality tackles available. In theory, a positional change could also suit Flowers, and he wouldn’t be the first mediocre tackle to find success at guard.
Flowers’ history with Jaguars football czar Tom Coughlin may have something to do with the club’s interest in him. Coughlin coached Flowers in his rookie season with the Giants before he was ousted in January of 2016.
Practice Squad Updates: 10/9/18
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Keith Towbridge
- Released: CB Michael Hunter
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Brandon Chubb
- Released QB: Connor Cook
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: RB Bo Scarbrough
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Tra Carson, WR Keon Hatcher
- Released: RB Joel Bouagnon
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: CB Lenzy Pipkins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Pharoah McKever
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed On PS-IR: LB Robert McCray
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OT Rick Leonard
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Kenneth Farrow
New York Giants
- Signed: K Marshall Koehn
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Matthew Dayes, OL Najee Toran, DB Tyvis Powell
- Released: DB Dexter McCoil, WR Frank Stephens
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Nigel Harris
- Released: OL Coleman Shelton
Giants Waive Ereck Flowers
The Giants have waived tackle Ereck Flowers, according to an announcement from the team. The Giants were looking to trade the former first-round pick by the end of the business day on Tuesday, but they were unable to find a taker. 
Because Flowers is not a vested veteran, he’ll hit the waiver wire, giving the league’s 31 other teams a chance to claim him. Clubs such as the Raiders, Falcons, 49ers, and others with high waiver priority will have an early crack at claiming Flowers, but that’s unlikely given his salary. In all probability, Flowers will go unclaimed, allowing him to sign as a free agent later this week.
Flowers, a 6’6″, 329-pound tackle, was taken with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 draft. The Giants were hardly alone in their strong evaluation of the Miami product, but things never panned out for him at the pro level. This year, the Giants brought in left tackle Nate Solder and shifted Flowers to the right side, but the results were pretty much the same. Flowers was demoted in favor of Chad Wheeler this year, and he played just 12 special teams snaps in those three games off of the bench.
Giants Still Looking To Trade Ereck Flowers
[UPDATE: The Giants waived Flowers on Tuesday morning.]
The Giants haven’t lined up a deal yet, but they’re still hoping to complete a trade for tackle Ereck Flowers by 4pm ET/3pm CT on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. If they can’t find a suitable deal, Flowers’ agent Drew Rosenhaus expects multiple teams to be interested in his client once he’s released. In that instance, he believes Flowers would have a new home by the end of the week. 
Flowers, a former first-round pick, is in the final year of his rookie contract, and it’s hard to imagine another club giving up something of value and taking on his salary. Still, the Giants are working hard to make it happen, and they may be willing to offset the expense by including cash in the deal.
The Giants have already earmarked practice squad lineman Brian Mihalik as the replacement for Flowers, allowing them to use a tackle who is already familiar with their blocking schemes on a short week. The 1-4 Giants will look to get back on the right track when they face the Eagles on Thursday night at the Meadowlands.
Giants Promote OT Brian Mihalik
The Giants will promote tackle Brian Mihalik from the practice squad to replace Ereck Flowers, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter). Flowers is set to be released on Tuesday afternoon if the team cannot find a suitable trade, so the Giants need another body to help out at tackle.
It’s still possible that the Giants will survey the free agent market – or even the trade market – for help at tackle, but they opted against bringing in outside help on a short week. Mihalik will be in the club’s rotation behind starters Nate Solder and Chad Wheeler when the G-Men face the Eagles on Thursday night.
Mihalik made two starts last season for the Lions but was dropped from the roster on Labor Day weekend. At 6’9″ and 315 pounds, the former defensive end certainly has the size for the tackle position.
Giants Eyeing Kicker For P-Squad
- Pat Shurmur wants to add a kicker to the Giants’ practice squad, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets. Big Blue will need another offensive tackle soon as well, being set to end the Ereck Flowers era on Tuesday. Aldrick Rosas serves as the Giants’ kicker, and the second-year UDFA is 100 percent (11-for-11) on field goals thus far.