New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and the organization have made significant progress on a long-term extension, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.
"I'm not a big fan of contract negotiations during the season," said Manning, via Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. Manning reportedly wanted to get a deal done before the start of training camp, but that has now pushed into the Giants preparation for week one.
Manning was drafted in 2004 with Phillip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, both of whom have received new deals with their perspective teams.
Playing for a team in New York puts one under the spotlight, and Manning has had both positives and negatives with the Giants. He has won two Super Bowls in New York, but has failed to reach the playoffs for the past three seasons. Manning had his first season under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo last year and saw a rise in his numbers. He threw 4,410 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, but most importantly, he had his highest completion percentage of his career.
McAdoo's system is short and intermediate routes that get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly. This was a major change for Manning as he was getting crushed by teams in 2013. The Giants have since revamped the offensive line and added a star receiver in Odell Beckham Jr.
The deal is likely to get done before Sunday, when the Giants visit the Dallas Cowboys, according to Rapoport. The Giants will need to keep their focus on the game though, as they failed to beat the Cowboys last season.
