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The New York Giants should wait until 2020 before they draft their next franchise quarterback.
The Giants finished with a disappointing 5-11 (.313) win-loss record in 2018. They also missed the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven years. Is it time to draft a high-profile signal caller?
Not yet.
Let's break down the three reasons why the New York Giants must hold off on drafting a quarterback in 2019.
3. The 2020 Quarterback Class
Sure, you can't ignore this year's impressive quarterback draft class.
If you're an NFL general manager, you will salivate at the thought of snagging Kyler Murray (who will most likely wind up with the Arizona Cardinals with the first overall pick), Daniel Jones, Dwayne Haskins, Will Grier, Drew Lock, Ryan Finley, and Jarrett Stidham.
However, next year's quarterback crop isn't bad by any stretch. In fact, it's arguably better than this year's. Simply put, the rookie signal callers of 2020 are studs.
12UP's Karl Rasmussen chimes in on the 2020 NFL quarterback class.
Quarterbacks such as (Justin) Herbert, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, Georgia's Jake Fromm, Stanford's K.J. Costello, and Michigan's Shea Patterson are all expected to be available that year, making it one of the most high-profile draft classes in a long time at the position.
All of those quarterbacks have displayed their outstanding talent on the collegiate level, and with another year of experience under their belts, they should be even more NFL-ready when the time comes.
Let's not forget about Washington's Jacob Eason, Utah State's Jordan Love, Florida's Feleipe Franks, Texas' Sam Ehlinger, and Iowa's Nate Stanley as well.
It's not hard to imagine Tagovailoa, Fromm, Herbert, or Eason becoming Eli Manning's successor. If the Giants are lottery-bound again in 2020, they will do themselves a huge favor by drafting any of these quarterbacks.
2. Eli Manning
Contrary to what many fans believe, 38-year-old Eli Manning still has plenty left in his tank. It all starts with him.
Manning's touchdown passes the past two seasons (19 in 2017 and 21 in 2018) aren't exactly eye-popping. However, he completed 66 percent of his passes last season. This represents the highest completion percentage of his 15-year NFL career.
Plus, his interception numbers have declined over the past three seasons (from 16 in 2017 to 11 in 2018). His quarterback rating (51.2) is also the highest it's been during that span.
Manning has also missed just one game in the past 14 seasons. That's how durable he is. We're talking about a quarterback who is constantly under duress from the pass rush. Think about that for a minute.
It's going to be interesting how Manning – a two-time Super Bowl MVP – fares in 2019 without star wideout Odell Beckham, Jr. (who the Giants traded to the Cleveland Browns).
Our guess is he's going to do just fine, thank you very much.
Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (who is finalizing a four-year, $41 million extension with New York) told SNY's Scott Thompson last December Manning is far from finished.
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Yeah, I'd love to. You never know what you're getting in the draft or whatever and he's proven he can play in this league. He's been in the league for a long time doing his thing, so I'd love for him to be my QB.
He still has it in him, in my eyes. Smartest guy I ever played with and he's still making all the throws. You can see last week, he made a lot of great throws, made great decisions with the ball, so I don't see why not.
Manning is in the last year of a four-year, $84 million contract extension he signed on September 11, 2015.
He will earn an estimated $23.2 million this season, per Over The Cap.
The #Giants haven't had conversations with QB Eli Manning on a new contract… but if they don't draft a passer in the draft, it's actually not a terrible idea to mitigate risk. pic.twitter.com/cr8LW47ICD
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 1, 2019
Should Manning decide to retire at season's end, he will give the Giants one last resounding hurrah.
1. Emphasis on Defense
You can credit part of the New York Giants' abysmal performance in 2018 to their putrid defense.
The Giants ranked 24th in the NFL in total defense last season. They allowed a total of 5,942 yards to their opponents. New York also finished 23rd in the league in points per game allowed (25.8), per ESPN. New defensive coordinator James Bettcher certainly has his work cut out for him.
On that note, the Giants are better off focusing on shoring up their leaky defense in the upcoming NFL Draft.
ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported on April 10 the team isn't gung-ho about drafting a quarterback. Instead, the Giants are setting their sights on a defensive player.
The Giants are not believed to be high on Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins. Oklahoma's Kyler Murray is expected to be selected with the first overall pick, which currently belongs to the Arizona Cardinals.
This makes for a strong possibility the Giants will draft a defensive player with their first pick (No. 6 overall). They also own pick No. 17.
Several mock drafts predict New York will select Mississippi State Bulldogs pass rusher Montez Sweat at No. 6. He should become the game changer the Giants desperately need.
Aside from Sweat, other defensive players which fit the bill include Josh Allen, Quinnen Williams, and Ed Oliver.
For the Giants' pick at No. 17, Raanan predicts they will go with more defense. Linebackers Devin Bush and Brian Burns, cornerback Greedy Williams, and defensive lineman Christian Wilkins come to mind.
Once the Giants build a solid defensive foundation through the draft, they should make strides in the 2019 NFL season.
