The New York Giants currently have four quarterbacks on their roster: Eli Manning, Josh Johnson, Geno Smith, and Davis Webb.
Starter
Eli Manning
Eli Manning is undoubtedly the Giants starting quarterback this year. If he stays healthy, Eli will be under center for New York for the next three seasons.
Manning?s completion percentage has been consistently around 63% since Ben McAdoo has been around but his passing yardage and touchdown totals took a dip last year.
The Giants have surrounded Manning with weapons this year. They?ve added wide receiver Brandon Marshall and rookie tight end Evan Engram to go along with wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard, creating one of the scarier passing attacks in the league.
The biggest question mark for Eli this year will the same as last year; will he have enough time to throw to his weapons? Left tackle Ereck Flowers is entering a make-or-break year and the Giants added lineman D.J. Fluker to add competition to the right side of the line.
If the offensive line can give Eli Manning time to throw and open up holes for Paul Perkins and the running game, the Giants should have one of the better offenses in the NFL this season.
The Back-Ups
Josh Johnson and Geno Smith
With the New York Giants likely keeping three quarterbacks on their roster in 2017, there is a competition for the backup gig.
Josh Johnson was the Giants backup QB in 2016 while Geno Smith signed with Big Blue in the offseason after spending the last four seasons with the New York Jets.
Despite the criticism Manning gets, Giants fans should all hope that Eli is the only quarterback taking meaningful snaps this year.
Just in case, however, New York needs a backup with more experience than their rookie third round pick.
Josh Johnson has not seen regular season action since 2013 and has not attempted a pass in a regular season game since 2011.
Geno Smith, as New York sports fans know, has been a turnover machine in his game action. In 33 career games (30 starts), Smith has thrown 36 interceptions and lost seven fumbles.
It may seem crazy, but I think Geno Smith wins the backup job.
Josh Johnson was a fifth round pick in 2008 and has very little upside if pressed into game action.
Geno Smith, on the other hand, was a second round pick in 2013 and was supposed to be the Jets franchise quarterback. Obviously, that didn?t even come close to working out, but the Giants don?t need Smith to be their franchise QB.
Perhaps the Giants coaching staff can unlock some of the talent that NFL evaluators saw from Geno when he was at West Virginia that made him a second round pick.
Jets fans might make fun of the Giants for giving Geno Smith a chance but the 26-year-old gives Big Blue more upside than Josh Johnson. And remember, the plan is for no one to line up at quarterback except for Eli Manning.
Davis Webb
The New York Giants selected Davis Webb in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of California. Most people think that Webb was drafted to be the heir to Eli Manning.
While it?s too early to tell if the rookie will eventually be the Giants starting quarterback (remember Ryan Nassib was thought to be the Giants future QB as well), Davis Webb is set to be with Big Blue for the next four seasons.
As the Giants did with Nassib his rookie year, Webb likely won?t suit up this season. He will simply watch and learn from Eli and hopefully develop enough so that if he is the next QB in New York, he?s ready.
At 6?5″ 229 lb., Webb has the size and arm strength to be an NFL quarterback. Coming from air-raid offenses at Texas Tech and California, however, Webb has a significant learning curve ahead of him in the NFL.
If he can soak in everything that Eli Manning does, David Webb could eventually become the two-time Super Bowl champion?s successor.
Starter
Eli Manning
Eli Manning is undoubtedly the Giants starting quarterback this year. If he stays healthy, Eli will be under center for New York for the next three seasons.
Manning?s completion percentage has been consistently around 63% since Ben McAdoo has been around but his passing yardage and touchdown totals took a dip last year.
The Giants have surrounded Manning with weapons this year. They?ve added wide receiver Brandon Marshall and rookie tight end Evan Engram to go along with wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard, creating one of the scarier passing attacks in the league.
The biggest question mark for Eli this year will the same as last year; will he have enough time to throw to his weapons? Left tackle Ereck Flowers is entering a make-or-break year and the Giants added lineman D.J. Fluker to add competition to the right side of the line.
If the offensive line can give Eli Manning time to throw and open up holes for Paul Perkins and the running game, the Giants should have one of the better offenses in the NFL this season.
The Back-Ups
Josh Johnson and Geno Smith
With the New York Giants likely keeping three quarterbacks on their roster in 2017, there is a competition for the backup gig.
Josh Johnson was the Giants backup QB in 2016 while Geno Smith signed with Big Blue in the offseason after spending the last four seasons with the New York Jets.
Despite the criticism Manning gets, Giants fans should all hope that Eli is the only quarterback taking meaningful snaps this year.
Just in case, however, New York needs a backup with more experience than their rookie third round pick.
Josh Johnson has not seen regular season action since 2013 and has not attempted a pass in a regular season game since 2011.
Geno Smith, as New York sports fans know, has been a turnover machine in his game action. In 33 career games (30 starts), Smith has thrown 36 interceptions and lost seven fumbles.
It may seem crazy, but I think Geno Smith wins the backup job.
Josh Johnson was a fifth round pick in 2008 and has very little upside if pressed into game action.
Geno Smith, on the other hand, was a second round pick in 2013 and was supposed to be the Jets franchise quarterback. Obviously, that didn?t even come close to working out, but the Giants don?t need Smith to be their franchise QB.
Perhaps the Giants coaching staff can unlock some of the talent that NFL evaluators saw from Geno when he was at West Virginia that made him a second round pick.
Jets fans might make fun of the Giants for giving Geno Smith a chance but the 26-year-old gives Big Blue more upside than Josh Johnson. And remember, the plan is for no one to line up at quarterback except for Eli Manning.
Davis Webb
The New York Giants selected Davis Webb in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of California. Most people think that Webb was drafted to be the heir to Eli Manning.
While it?s too early to tell if the rookie will eventually be the Giants starting quarterback (remember Ryan Nassib was thought to be the Giants future QB as well), Davis Webb is set to be with Big Blue for the next four seasons.
As the Giants did with Nassib his rookie year, Webb likely won?t suit up this season. He will simply watch and learn from Eli and hopefully develop enough so that if he is the next QB in New York, he?s ready.
At 6?5″ 229 lb., Webb has the size and arm strength to be an NFL quarterback. Coming from air-raid offenses at Texas Tech and California, however, Webb has a significant learning curve ahead of him in the NFL.
If he can soak in everything that Eli Manning does, David Webb could eventually become the two-time Super Bowl champion?s successor.
