New York Giants: No. 2 pick doesn’t have to be a quarterback

The New York Giants may be open to all options with their No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and it doesn’t have to be a quarterback.

Tom Brady and Drew Brees will each be 42 years old by the end of their current contracts. When the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre was 36. Rodgers then sat for three years behind Favre. The New York Giants have this proposition staring them in the face.

Eli Manning is 37, but the Giants still believe he can give them years of good play. In fact Giants owner John Mara told Tom Rock of Newsday this:

"I always admired the way the Packers handled it with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers."

So, does that mean the Giants have a plan in place to take a quarterback they believe could be a developmental player later in the 2018 NFL Draft and sit behind Eli until he’s ready? Maybe, and that wouldn’t be a horrible plan.

Manning clearly wasn’t bad because he’s getting old. The offensive line was bad, subsequently leading to a bad running game. He also had one target on offense, and the defense wasn’t up to par. If the Giants can put some pieces around Manning, he might still capable of leading this team.

There is a possibility, if they’re right about him being able to lead one more run to a Lombardi Trophy, that not selecting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick is the perfect direction for them. It would build a winning foundation being built for whomever they land at quarterback.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post-free agency 3 rounds

Say what you will about Eli Manning, but if the Giants and new head coach Pat Shurmur believe in him, that’s enough. They could let the young, post-first-round quarterback sit as long as Rodgers did and build a team that continues to win. So, why not be patient? Patience is a virtue, and it’s easy if you’re winning.