and to rephrase it, since obviously there's a chance, does anyone believe there is a legit chance?
As we head to the final three weeks of the pre-season and see Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger already sign extensions this off-season to most likely retire with their teams, Eli remains unsigned after the season.
I know they have reported talks are progressing, but once the season starts it seems like Eli would be a "I don't want the distractions of negotiating during the season" kind of player (though neither he or his agent have said that as far as I know).
Just think once the season starts all bets are off. There is very little reason for him not to test free agency if he goes through the season unsigned.
He'd kind of be foolish not to. And if the Giants are bad again, what incentive does he have to stay?
I feel like the Giants basically have three weeks to sign Eli or there's at least chance he's gone.
Teams like Buffalo, NYJ, and others would be lining up with a lot of cap space to sign him.
Are you serious?
20M+ fully guaranteed for one year without the benefit of spreading out any cap hit just doesn't make sense.
I think it's sign him in the next three weeks or there's a decent chance he sees free agency.
With that said, I really hope that this new deal has some language / structure in it that allows them to trade him after this year if they absolutely need to. IF this turns into another shit show season, and IF it is because of Eli turning the ball over a lot, and IF Coughlin is fired they may want to consider moving on. A new coach may want to start fresh with his own guy. Eli could be an additional high draft choice even after a down season.
For the record I don't think that will ever happen. My personal feeling is that we are going to see an 8-8 to 10-6 season and probably one more real run at the big dance for Eli and Coughlin next season.
Both Eli and the Giants want him to finish with the team. It's only Tom Condon slowing the inevitable deal.
Eli has never voiced going to another team......
Yes, he would probably make more money on the open market....
He may even want another team's OL....
The Giants could tag him for 18.5M(2015 tag number)....
He is not about to give a team discount......
It will be interesting, though, if he is not signed BEFORE the season starts....
His 2015 salary is 17M, so his tag # has to be 120% of his 2015 salary - or in other words over 20M.
not that a couple million makes a difference at that level, but it kind of does.
Then again, I thought his brother would be a Colt for life too. Life is unpredictable.
So yes, it's within the rhelm of realistic possibility.
But I'm still hoping for (and expecting) a winning season.
But it's unlikely that he leaves. We have no worthy successor, although I think people are too critical of Nassib. Eli has also expressed a desire to stay with the Giants, even going so far as to say he won't play with anyone else. That of course could change, but it is something he said. He is also in good shape, and has no major injuries despite his age. His arm is apparently very strong, and he did well in McAdoo's system last year, his first. He is an icon in New York. We can also franchise him, although as someone said, it would cost about $20M for next year, which would limit how many other players we can sign, even though the cap will be increasing.
Please look around the league or in Giants history. Look at how hard it is to even get a franchise worthy QB. How many teams do not have one? How many teams have never really had one? Look at the time between Eli and our last franchise QB (IMHO Simms). Then you have players like Rivers and Romo who are franchise QBs but haven't done anything in the playoffs.
If we see another Andrew Luck come up through college then I can see it as a possibility. Even then, very few teams have been able to pull off getting their next franchise QB right away (i.e. Montana->Young, Favre->Rogers, Peyton->Luck).
Me personally, I think they will ride with Eli till his arm falls off (he'll call it quits first). Yes Eli will give the Giants a home town discount if it comes to that (not much but enough). If he hits the market, someone will offer him a ridiculous amount and he would just use that to negotiate a better deal with the Giants. I doubt the Giants management lets it get that far.
The guaranteed money Rivers just got doesn't help, though.
The guaranteed money Rivers just got doesn't help, though.
Yes. The floor is $65 mill guaranteed to Rivers. I don't see how they could justify not paying Eli more
For Giants fans, the Coughlin/Eli era was a great ride ... a far better ride than those enjoyed by the fans of most other NFL teams. But that era is over. Time to look ahead and begin building the next Super Bowl team.
So to me, paying $60M guaranteed to Eli on a contract that is set by the market at this point AND also thinking of blowing things up is a management blunder.
So if Giants HQ wants the flexibility to blow things up if this season does not go well, the RIGHT thing to do is maintain flexibility everywhere and not renew his contract right now.
Anyone using a modicum of business lens (which should factor out what Eli has done for us and how much we love him at QB) would agree with this.
Please look around the league or in Giants history. Look at how hard it is to even get a franchise worthy QB. How many teams do not have one? How many teams have never really had one? Look at the time between Eli and our last franchise QB (IMHO Simms). Then you have players like Rivers and Romo who are franchise QBs but haven't done anything in the playoffs.
If we see another Andrew Luck come up through college then I can see it as a possibility. Even then, very few teams have been able to pull off getting their next franchise QB right away (i.e. Montana->Young, Favre->Rogers, Peyton->Luck).
Me personally, I think they will ride with Eli till his arm falls off (he'll call it quits first). Yes Eli will give the Giants a home town discount if it comes to that (not much but enough). If he hits the market, someone will offer him a ridiculous amount and he would just use that to negotiate a better deal with the Giants. I doubt the Giants management lets it get that far.
not sure why you're confused. he's not signed after this season. the question comes up in the media continually. It came up last off-season, it came up during last season, it came up during this off-season, everyone keeps saying it will get done, and I don't disagree, it probably will.
but until he's signed there is potential he's not here next year.