Report: Eli looking for contract similar to Big Ben, Rivers

By foxsports
Published

Maybe the report that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was looking to be the NFL's highest-paid player was agent driven after all. According to sources close to Giants beat reporter Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Manning's contract demands are not quite as extravagant.

Multiple sources have confirmed to Vacchiano that Manning is looking to be handed a contract in the ballpark of the ones that Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers have recently signed. For a two-time Super Bowl quarterback coming off arguably his greatest statistical season, that doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

Only, according to the source, Manning is looking for at least as much and likely more. This is where the divide between the Giants and Manning lies. According to this same source, there truly is a "significant gap" between what the Giants want to pay and what Manning is looking for.

To give you the baseline, Roethlisberger signed a four-year, $87.4 million extension that included $65 million in guaranteed money and Rivers signed a four-year, $83.25 million extension with $65 million guaranteed.

Manning set a career high in completion percentage and he accompanied it with an excellent 30:14 touchdown to interception ratio. In spring practices, Manning showed improved arm strength and command of the offense, and that has carried over through training camp.

It's safe to say that McAdoo's quick-hitting system suits Manning's skill set better than Gilbride's long-developing vertically-oriented system ever could. If he improves in his second season in McAdoo's system, Manning's contract demands could become greater.

Earlier this week, Giants co-owner John Mara said the team still hopes to get a long-term contract completed with Manning soon. 

(h/t NY Daily News)