New York Giants signal-caller Eli Manning may be the last of a dying breed – the classic pocket passer.
It used to be that NFL teams craved a natural pocket passer. As the position evolved, mostly since the 1990s, mobility never did become a priority for Big Blue. In fact, the New York Giants have not had a mobile QB since the days of Jeff Hostetler. Keep in mind, Hostetler was drafted to be Phil Simms back-up, and he even handled a role on special teams. He was an accidental starter in Super Bowl XXV. The longer list of New York Giants passers includes guys like Simms, Dave Brown, Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner (at least for a few games).
I could put Danny Kanell or Kent Graham on this list, so hopefully you get the point. We’ve had our fare share of lead footed quarterbacks.
As the team heads into the 2018 NFL season, let’s understand that Eli Manning isn’t going to get any quicker or more agile. That reality should make us all wonder why the offensive line was put together with shoestring and bubble gum for so long. Let that debate simmer for another day.
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A quick glance around the NFC East showed and still shows a very different story than the one in East Rutherford. The Dallas Cowboys first employed Quincy Carter and then Tony Romo for a long time. Romo’s mobility definitely belied his stature, and it also ultimately caused his demise. Robert Griffin III, drafted by the Washington Redskins, was supposed to reinvent the position. He was always run first though, and that was his downfall.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles have actually embraced the concept of a mobile quarterback for a long time. Remember, they cultivated players like Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Michael Vick, and now they have Carson Wentz . These guys demonstrate that nimble has been and continues to be part of the Eagles’ quarterback DNA.
Which gets us back to the New York Giants, and their quarterback trainee, Davis Webb. Is there any possibility that Webb sees game action in 2018? Of course, with a Manning injury, Webb would see time on the field. But minus an injury, should we think of a package that can be implemented where the G-Men can take advantage of Webb’s skill-set?
Webb Master?
Starting with the reality that Manning is immobile, does that make him a dodo bird? Well, the short answer is yes. Take a look around, most of the top flight quarterbacks of today are mobile. Aaron Rodgers certainly is, as is Russell Wilson. Matt Stafford and Ben Roethlisberger have good escape skills, even if they are not fleet-footed.
As rigid as Tom Brady remains, he still possesses good mobility. He moves well in the pocket, and Brady also can be counted upon for a one-yard dive when called upon. Conversely, Manning looks like a fish out of water when he’s not in the pocket. Even when a clear running path opens up for a significant gain, Manning remains reluctant to take advantage of it.
The NFL trend certainly leans toward good mobility without being a running quarterback. When asked about what areas of his game he was working on, Webb provided an interesting answer. Interesting in the fact that we just haven’t heard a reply of this nature uttered around the New York Giants.
Davis Webb said, per Giants.com:
"“I think I really worked hard this summer on pocket movement and escaping, and avoiding the rush, and throwing on the run. That’s something I really try to enhance – throwing on the run once the play breaks down; getting out of the pocket.”"
By all accounts, Webb has a strong arm, perhaps stronger than Manning’s at this point. As he fully gets acclimated to his role as an understudy, spreading his wings makes absolute sense. The running quarterback has no place in the NFL, yet the mobile quarterback will continue to be in demand. Let’s face it, by drafting Saquon Barkley, the New York Giants are bucking the current NFL pass-first tide. Hopefully, Big Blue will encourage the young quarterback to enhance his mobility. By doing so, the Giants and Webb can continue to evolve and put their offense in a better place.