Giants quarterback Eli Manning met the media on Monday as the team began their offseason workout program and he shared a bit of what’s on his mind at this point in the offseason.
Manning said that he’d like to post a single-digit interception total for the first time since he threw nine picks in nine appearances during his rookie season. Manning cut his interceptions from 27 to 14 in Ben McAdoo’s first year as offensive coordinator, which marked the lowest percentage of his throws to result in interceptions since 2008.
What Manning isn’t worried about is the fact that he’s heading into the final year of his contract. Manning’s fellow 2004 first-round picks (except for J.P. Losman) have been dealing with such matters -- Ben Roethlisberger signed an extension in Pittsburgh before playing out the final year and Philip Rivers has been the subject of trade talks as he sits in the same boat with the Chargers -- but the Giants quarterback says he’s fine with how things stand right now.
“I’m comfortable. I’ve got a job to do and that’s to play football. That’s my only concern,” Manning said, via Art Stapleton of the North Jersey Record. “I’ve never got too caught up with contract stuff. Way I look at it, I have one more year and I’m gonna play that year and go from there.”
Roethlisberger’s contract, which included a signing bonus of $31 million, could provide some framework for the Giants and Manning as they move forward and the lack of discussions like the ones we’ve heard out of San Diego about moving in a different direction suggest that a deal keeping Manning in Jersey is likelier than not.