The New York Giants have made a poor start to the 2017 NFL season and as a result pressure is mounting on the shoulders of quarterback Eli Manning who could be set for his worst campaign to date since he was drafted as the number one overall pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2004.
It remains to be seen whether the Giants will look to make a change at the quarterback position. Here are three players who could be a replacement for Manning.
Colin Kaepernick (Free agent)
The Shadow League via Twitter
In 2013, Colin Kaepernick was just one game away from leading his side to the Super Bowl as the Niners were beaten 23-17 by the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game. Since being released from his contract by San Francisco earlier this year though, the quarterback remains out of work. It is surprising that nobody has taken a chance on the 29 year old to sit as a back-up with their franchise at the very least. If the Giants, and in particular Manning, continue to struggle this season, they may take a chance of Kaepernick. The former WAC Offensive Player of the Year is a very different quarterback to Manning as he likes to get out of the pocket. He has already accumulated 2300 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. If the Giants do see Kaepernick as the best option this season, it would likely bring an end to Manning’s career in New York.
Sam Darnold (USC Trojans)
USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold has been tipped to be the number one overall selection next year in the draft. Although the Giants may not end up with the first pick, if they see Darnold as their franchise quarterback for the future, they are likely going to try and trade for the pick and would most likely give up a lot to get it. The USC player helped his side win the Rose Bowl earlier this year, a victory which brought up the team’s eighth consecutive win. There is likely going to be a lot of interest in Darnold next year therefore the Giants would face strong opposition for the player.
Teddy Bridgewater (Minnesota Vikings)
Bleacher Report via Twitter
Teddy Bridgewater was very unfortunate to pick up a serious injury on the eve of the 2016 NFL season which forced the Vikings into trading for Sam Bradford from the Philadelphia Eagles. Now that Bradford has made that position his own, when Bridgewater does return to action in a few weeks’ time, he is unlikely going to get any playing time with the Vikings who are +300 to win the NFC North with betting sites such as this. Bridgewater is a very capable player who has a strong arm and is confident of rushing with the ball. With three strong quarterbacks on their roster, Minnesota may be looking to offload Bridgewater so the Giants could take a chance on the player even if they stick with Manning for the immediate future.
There is a lot of football still to be played this season, the start the Giants have made to their campaign makes this one of the most fascinating stories in the league at the moment.