The Giants have taken plenty of criticism for trading their best player, and staking the team to a 38-year-old quarterback.
But for Giants tight end Evan Engram, having Eli Manning under center is no reason for concern.
Via NFL Media, Engram said Manning still has what it takes to make the Giants offense effective.
“One-hundred percent,” Engram said. “Eli picks up every blitz. He knows who’s coming. We hold protection meetings. He still can throw the ball and drive the ball down the field and give us opportunities to go up and make plays. So, 100 percent, he still has it.”
Of course, Manning’s going to be the focus of any problems the Giants have because of their decision to keep him at the helm and trade wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Engram thinks that comes with some unfair expectations.
"[Fans and the media] just see Eli [Manning] make a bad read or Eli getting sacked,” he said. “They don’t see that maybe there was a missed block here or a dropped ball there or a wrong route. One person’s success is a lot of times based off the man next to him. A lot of people don’t see that; they just see where their eyes are taking them. It’s easy to do that when you’re watching from your couch or if you’re at the game when everybody is flying around. I get it, but it’s the bigger picture.”
Of course, for Manning to succeed this year, it would help for Engram to play more of a role. The former first-rounder missed five games and had 45 catches for 577 yards and three touchdowns, well off a promising rookie season. But he played well when Beckham wasn’t on the field, which could be a good sign for the future.
