Pat Shurmur, head coach of the New York Giants, confirmed today that Eli Manning remains the starting quarterback for now going into the new season. But he did say that new rookie sensation Daniel Jones will be prepared and standing by to play in week one if needed FreeTips.com reports today.
“Eli is getting ready to have a great year, and Daniel is getting ready to play,” said the head coach. “You see what happens with it. We feel good about where Eli is. He is our starting quarterback, and we have a young player that we think is going to be an outstanding player, getting himself ready to play.”
Shurmur was asked if there will be an ‘open competition’ between the two to see who is going to be the regular quarterback. As the Giants prepared to start training camp for the year, he said “We are playing around the words again. I’m not trying to be cryptic about it. Eli is getting ready to have an outstanding year, and Daniel is getting ready to play. That is really about it.”
The veterans will play another two full-squad practices before they finish the training camp. The rookies get an extra week of practice to get them bedded in. Before they all join up again at the training camp at the end of July.
Jones was the 6th overall draft pick back in April and a welcome addition to the squad, but Shurmur has continued to state that Eli Manning will remain the starting quarterback a position that he has held since 2004.
“Eli is getting ready to have an outstanding year, and Daniel is getting ready to play,” Shurmur had to repeat as it appeared that he was asked exactly the same question again “At least in my mind, that is very clear, but it doesn’t appear that it is because I am getting a lot of follow-ups to it.”
It was asked of Shurmur whether Jones could be ready to play in week one if necessary. “You never know what is going to happen, but as I said, Eli is getting ready to play and so is Daniel,” said Shurmur. “Eli is the starter, and this guy is getting ready to play. The players that give our team the best chance to win, play. Period. And you have seen Eli do that for a very long time, so we will see what happens as we go down the road.”
Jones will be the future of the team, but when the take-over will happen is still anyone’s guess. However, it is clear that Shurmur has been impressed by the rookie’s abilities on the pitch so far, especially so early in his career. “I think he has had a really good offseason,” Shurmur said. “I think he has had a really, really productive offseason. He is on track with the goal to be ready to play day one. That is really what all the players need to be thinking. The quarterback stuff will be on the front burner for everyone. I get that. He is on track”