Getty Sean Mannion #4 of the Minnesota Vikings claps on the sidelines in the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Whether some want to admit it or not, Daniel Jones is firmly entrenched as the New York Giants starter for the coming 2021 NFL season. With an array of new weapons at his disposal, the former No. 6 overall pick is hoping to silence his critics as he looks to push the Giants into playoff contention for the first time since 2016.
Yet, while the team has loaded up on talent around Jones, the same can’t be said about the depth chart behind the third-year quarterback. Colt McCoy, who proved serviceable in spot duty for Jones a season ago — including an upset victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13 — is now serving as Kyler Murray’s backup in Arizona.
The team did add Mike Glennon in free agency this offseason. While he does have ample starting experience (27 games), his 6-21 record as a starter doesn’t leave much optimism should the Giants call upon him — which is certainly a possibility considering Jones has missed two games in each of his first two seasons.
Beyond Glennon, there is only Clayton Thorson currently on the roster, who has yet to appear in an NFL game since being selected in the fifth round back in 2019. However, soon that may no longer be the case — or at least that was the plan.
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Giants Were Expected to Sign QB Sean Mannion
The G-Men recently took a look at free-agent quarterback Sean Mannion, and by the sound of it, they like what they saw. The former Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings backup worked out for the Giants on Friday after practice and according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post was “likely to sign” with the team.
However, it looks as if the Giants were beaten to the punch.
The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar has reported that Mannion is now expected to sign with the Seahawks, who he also recently worked out for.
The Seahawks are soon expected to sign QB Sean Mannion, I’m told. No word on corresponding roster move. Seahawks have 3 backup QBs on roster right now: Geno Smith, Danny Etling and Alex McGough.
Mannion, 29, was a third-round pick for the Rams back in 2015. The California native enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Oregon State, etching his name in both the Beavers’ and the Pac-12’s record books. His 4,662 passing yards in 2013 remain fifth-most in conference history. His 13,600 career passing yards and 83 career touchdowns are the most ever by an Oregon State player.
His NFL career has been far less prolific to this point. Thus far he’s appeared in just 17 career games (two starts), throwing for 384 yards with three interceptions and a completion percentage of 60.8%. He spent the past two seasons as a backup in Minnesota to starter Kirk Cousins.
Eric Dickerson Wanted Mannion to Start Over Jared Goff
While Jared Goff may now be residing in Detroit, not so long ago he was pegged as the savior of the Los Angeles Rams. Selected first overall in the 2016 NFL draft, Goff struggled mightily out the gates, losing all seven of his starts as a rookie.
Heading into his second year, many within the Rams organization were optimistic that Goff would be able to take a major leap forward under the tutelage of newly-hired head coach Sean McVay — franchise legend Eric Dickerson was not one of them.
“My guy that I would start the season with would be Sean Mannion. I’ve been saying that since last year. Give him a shot,” Dickerson said during an appearance of FS1’s The Herd back in 2017. “It’s all about winning football games. You have a better chance of winning with Sean Mannion.”
Of course, the Rams ultimately stuck it out with Goff, finishing the 2017 season with an 11-5 record and earning their first postseason trip since 2004. The following season Goff led the team to a 13-3 record and appearance in Super Bowl LII. Mannion, on the other hand, has attempted just 61 passes since Dickerson’s comments.
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