They either got a franchise quarterback to lead them to the promised land or paid an exorbitant price for a name and a pedigree. History will judge whether the Giants yesterday were prescient or pilfered with their blockbuster acquisition of Eli Manning.
Refuting their contention that they were not obsessed with getting Manning, the Giants were relentless in their pursuit of the NFL Draft’s top-rated quarterback, son of Archie and younger brother of Peyton, the definition of family football royalty.
The Chargers, with the No. 1 pick, took Manning, and the Giants at No. 4 took another quarterback, Philip Rivers. The teams then traded draft rights to the two players, landing Manning in New York.
The pricetag was fairly staggering: The Giants gave the Chargers this year’s third-round pick and (here’s the killer) next year’s first- and fifth-round picks.
Considering how highly regarded the Chargers rated Rivers, this has to be a considered a coup for first-year San Diego GM A.J. Smith.
“I think things will work out here,” Manning said of the Giants.
Things had better work out grandly, or else – because the Giants gave up a bundle.
The animosity built up the past week after Archie Manning made it clear his son would not play in San Diego made it awkward and virtually impossible for the Chargers and Manning to co-exist. Even after Manning went No. 1, and looked miserable as he glumly held a Charger jersey and hat, there was rampant speculation that something was up.
“I felt all along it wasn’t over once they picked him,” Giant GM Ernie Accorsi said.
No kidding. Despite denials, Accorsi began putting this deal in place late in the week. This was not an on-the-clock brainstorm. The Giants had Ben Roethlisberger rated slightly higher than Rivers on their draft board. When Robert Gallery went to Oakland at No. 2, the Giants honed in on Manning. Taking Rivers was a ploy Accorsi knew the Chargers would consume. The Giants never even called Rivers after they took him.
Why, then, wasn’t this deal made before the draft? Apparently, the Chargers, scorned by Manning, wanted to see him squirm on the podium and get bombarded with jeers, which he did.
This likely signals the end of Kerry Collins’ tenure in New York and no doubt means the Giants in coach Tom Coughlin’s first year are in a rebuilding mode, a notion the organization dismisses.
A product of Mississippi like his famous dad, Manning is a monster prospect, projected to have all the qualities of his brother Peyton, but interestingly, other than the Giants there was not a groundswell of interest to trade up to get him.
Weeks before the draft, Accorsi firmly stated the Giants would not “give up the store” for Manning, who will make an appearance tomorrow night on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman.” The GM scoffed at the notion that this pricetag represented a kings ransom.
“I don’t consider that the store by any means for this player,” Accorsi said.
The Giants would positively not give up their second-round pick – the 34th overall. “That price would have been the store,” Accorsi said. “That was more important to us than next year’s No. 1, because it’s a player we’re going to have this year.”
With that second-round pick, the Giants took Chris Snee, a guard from Boston College who, strangely enough, is the father of Coughlin’s grandson.
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Giants’ No. 1
ELI MANNING
QB, MISSISSIPPI 6-4, 218 Chosen 1st overall
* Traded to Giants for Philip Rivers (No. 4), third-round pick, 2005 first- and thirdround picks.
* Classic pocket passer, terrific arm, smarts, field presence.
* Aw-shucks persona but is leader in huddle.
* Starred despite sub-par talent surrounding him in college.
* Giants believe he’s at least as good a prospect as older brother Peyton was six years ago. Not student of game brother is; has thin frame.
* Negotiated with punter Jeff Feagles to wear uniform No. 10. Price is a Feagles family Florida vacation.
