Eli Manning not lobbying for Giants to go on draft offensive
Eli Manning, quarterback for the New York Giants, speaks with reporters about Tom Coughlin at the Giants' practice facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. Credit: Errol Anderson
After watching the Giants spend most of their offseason attention on refurbishing the defense, it would seem natural for Eli Manning to expect a little something for his offense during the draft. But no, the quarterback said on Sunday that he’d be just as happy to see his team keep getting better on the other side of the ball.
“Whatever they think will help the team and get us more wins,” Manning said at the annual March of Dimes March for Babies in Manhattan. “I’m fine having a great defense. They can get more sacks and get more stops and get more turnovers and we can have more possessions, that helps out the team. The better the defense it can only help the offense out, so I’m excited about that.”
The Giants have gone heavy on offense at the top of recent drafts. Their last four first-round picks have been offensive players, including Odell Beckham Jr., and three of the Giants’ starting offensive linemen have come in the last three drafts.
Manning may have demurred at the prospect of another defensive addition in the first round this week, but remember, he’s still a quarterback.
“If they want to throw a receiver or a lineman in, hey, I’m always happy to take as many offensive draft picks as possible,” he said. “But I don’t get too caught up in it. Whoever comes in we’ll get to work and make it work.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
