7 Reasons Why the Giants Should Pay Eli Manning
By Jesse Connor
Oct 27, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) warms up before facing the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Look Who Else Got Paid
In the last year several quarterbacks have landed very large contracts. Some of these quarterbacks are legitimate franchise QB’s while a couple of them are at best, unproven, and one of them is the reason his team hasn’t achieved any playoff success. Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers, Cam Newton, Ryan Tannehill, Alex Smith, and Andy Dalton all signed very lucrative contracts in the recent past. When you see what some of them got your not going to wonder why Eli wants the big bucks.
Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers are the most comparable to Eli Manning. They were all drafted in the top 11 picks of the 2004 draft. Eli has 259 Touchdowns to Roethlisberger’s 251 and River’s 252. Their yards passing are also very similar as Eli sits atop with 39,755 yards, Roethlisberger has 39,057 yards and Rivers has 36,655 yards. Eli and Big Ben have a pair of Super Bowl rings while Rivers has never made it to the big game.
Roethlisberger’s contract is good for 5 years and $99 million. Averaging about $20 million per year with the chance to earn more money if certain goals are hit. Roethlisberger, like Eli has two rings, but not two Super Bowl MVP awards. Big Ben is a tough man and very hard to take down but he has been touched up by injuries while in the league and has played all 16 games only 3 times during his 11 year career.
Rivers just signed his deal the other day and he will take in $83 million over 4 years averaging just over $20 million per. Rivers is a career 4-5 in the playoffs throwing 11 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. Rivers is a cocky quarterback who’s childish ways and sore loser streak has put him in the dog house of most non-Charger fans.
Cam Newton signed a 5 year $103.8 million dollar contract. Newton, while a world class athlete and genetic freak of nature has never thrown for more then 3,869 yards or 24 touchdowns. For comparision Manning threw for under 3,869 yards in his absolutely dreadful season of 2013 (terrible team around him). Manning has thrown for 24 touchdowns or more 7 times.
Ryan Tannehill inked a 4 year / $77 million dollar deal with the Dolphins this season. Tannehill may be a good QB one day but hes not yet. He has never led his team to more than 8 wins and is not exactly a quarterback who can throw the ball deep. Of his 63 career touchdown passes only 11 of them have gone for more then 25 yards, several of those were in large part to the receiver’s play after the catch.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith signed a 4 year deal worth $68 million dollars. Smith is an excellent “game manager”,
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he rarely turns the ball over at this stage of his career but he just simply doesn’t throw the ball down the field. In 9 seasons his highest season total for passing yards is 3,318 yards. He has thrown 20+ touchdowns only once. Last year he failed to complete one touchdown pass to a wide receiver. In today’s NFL that just won’t cut it. If I were Andy Reid of the Chiefs I would seriously consider giving Aaron Murray a chance to play.
Andy Dalton is the only thing holding the Bengals back from a legitimate chance at the Super Bowl. He shrivels up in the spotlight. In 4 playoff games Dalton is 0-4 with 1 touchdown and 6 picks to go along with a 55% completion rate. Dalton’s contract is a wreckless 6 years, $96 million.
Eli Manning is a 2 time Super Bowl winner, 2 time Super Bowl MVP, iron man, excellent in the clutch, never a distraction off the field, consummate professional, the reason the Giants are always a threat, and will go down as one of the best to ever play the most important position in the game of football. Pay the man.