Eli Manning's 6-Year, $97.5 Million Extension One of NFL's Biggest Deals

Thanks for stating the obvious. I'm well aware that it's a team sport. Still, he's a part of that team and had just as much to do with winning it as anyone else.

You can't even give Eli credit for being a SB winner it seems.

I give him credit but I contend it is irrelevant in this case. Players should get paid for their abilities to help their team win. I don't think he helps his team win more than average. He certainly isn't a top 5 QB in the NFL. There are dozens of players on that team that won a ring...should they all get paid more than everyone else in the league relative to their position? Of course not.

I'd say he falls in the middle somewhere. He's certainly not in the Dilfer category.

The difference is that he is getting paid to be in the latter group. Hell he is getting paid to be in a group even better than the later group. I simply don't think he helped them more than an average player would have helped them. I firmly believe if JC is there they win the same SB.

This is good stuff fellas.

The difference is that he is getting paid to be in the latter group. Hell he is getting paid to be in a group even better than the later group. I simply don't think he helped them more than an average player would have helped them. I firmly believe if JC is there they win the same SB.

So if the argument is boiling down to him being way overpaid I definitely agree. BUT, what should the Giants have done?

Let's face it, the best players are not always paid the most money. In fact you can find examples of this in every walk of life, not just the NFL.

So if the argument is boiling down to him being way overpaid I definitely agree. BUT, what should the Giants have done?

Let's face it, the best players are not always paid the most money. In fact you can find examples of this in every walk of life, not just the NFL.

Well if it were me I'd do what Tripp suggested. Franchise him and draft a replacement. I am just concerned this going to cause problems throughout the league with QB contracts. This strikes me a very redskins-like move. Just too much of a good thing. I know they paid a premium to keep him off the market and avoid issues but they way way way over-paid. Some balance was needed. But on the upside they're saddled with him now for the foreseeable future.

This article made some good points IMO

You can make a case that Eli doesn’t deserve to be the highest-paid player in the NFL, and you might win that argument, but you cannot win the argument that the Giants can find a better player for their team now. They need to make Eli better, but they won’t find a better player.

link: Diner morning news: Is Eli worth it? | National Football Post (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Diner-morning-news-Is-Eli-worth-it.html)

Check out his game log for that season...it's not pretty. They won despite having him as QB. He did get "hot" for the last game of the season and the playoffs, but throughout weeks 1-16, he had 4 games where he had completion percentages in the 30-46% range, only 3 games over 60%, a 59-yard game, a 99-yard game, 19 TDs and also 19 INTs, 7 games under 200 yards passing, 9 of the games he did not have more TDs than INTs. Fumbled 13 times, lost 7.

He had a nice 273 yard game with 1 TD and 4 INTs though!

Eli Manning: Game Logs (http://www.nfl.com/players/elimanning/gamelogs?id=MAN473170&season=2007)

Against the Skins:

Wk 3 - 21/36, 232 yds, 1TD, 2 INTs, 58.3%, 1 fumble lost
Wk 15 - 18/52, 184 yds, 1TD, 0 INTs, 34.6%, 1 fumble lost
Saying they won despite him is just as ridiculous as those who say he won them the Super Bowl. I am sure you do not have as strong of a memory about that game as I do, just like I do not have as good a memory about Super Bowl XXVI as you. He played a GOOD game, not great, but good. He threw one interception in that post season and it was a ball that should have been caught by Steve Smith.

His stats are never going to be pretty. He will never be the guy you want as your #1QB in a fantasy football league. However, in the 4th quarter and the Giants trailing, there aren't too many QB's in the league I want leading the 2 minute drill. THAT is where a QB earns his money.

Saying they won despite him is just as ridiculous as those who say he won them the Super Bowl. I am sure you do not have as strong of a memory about that game as I do, just like I do not have as good a memory about Super Bowl XXVI as you. He played a GOOD game, not great, but good. He threw one interception in that post season and it was a ball that should have been caught by Steve Smith.

His stats are never going to be pretty. He will never be the guy you want as your #1QB in a fantasy football league. However, in the 4th quarter and the Giants trailing, there aren't too many QB's in the league I want leading the 2 minute drill. THAT is where a QB earns his money.

I hate to agree with a Giants fan on a Skins board, but you're right. Eli ain't Peyton. But, save Brady, Manning, and maybe McNabb, who can run a two minute, five minute better than Eli?

The cold hard truth is there's going to be someone even less deserving in another year or two that will get the "next" biggest salary in NFL history.

Well if it were me I'd do what Tripp suggested. Franchise him and draft a replacement. I am just concerned this going to cause problems throughout the league with QB contracts. This strikes me a very redskins-like move. Just too much of a good thing. I know they paid a premium to keep him off the market and avoid issues but they way way way over-paid. Some balance was needed. But on the upside they're saddled with him now for the foreseeable future.

The problem with this strategy is its risk. Good franchise quarterbacks are hard to find.

Look at the Lions - how many good franchise qb's have they had since Bobby Lane? Or, discounting JC's possible performance this year, how about us for the last few decades? There are other squads which can be mentioned here too, of course.

What if you let Eli go and then draft Ryan Leaf or some other first round qb failure? Or what if you draft a very good player who still takes a couple of years to season, during which time the window of opportunity for the other pieces of your team closes?

Sometimes we all pay a little more to avoid situations of potentially problematic uncertainty. It seems that the Giants did the same with Eli.

I hate to agree with a Giants fan on a Skins board, but you're right. Eli ain't Peyton. But, save Brady, Manning, and maybe McNabb, who can run a two minute, five minute better than Eli?

The cold hard truth is there's going to be someone even less deserving in another year or two that will get the "next" biggest salary in NFL history.

Outside of rookie QBs there won't. Every notable QB up for FA in the next few years is appreciably better than Eli save maybe JC (I think he is but that's really up in the air).