Eli Manning, Olivier Vernon among potential Giants cap cuts
Eli Manning, quarterback
Eli Manning, who turned 38 in January, passed for 4,299 yards and 21 TDs last season with 11 interceptions. Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports
The financials: Manning is set to count $23.2 million against the salary cap this year in the final year of his contract. The Giants can save $17 million against the cap if he's released.
Other factors: The Giants would save a nice chunk of change if they allowed Manning to walk and replaced him with a cheaper veteran and a high draft pick. They also would probably get a quarterback who can do better than rank 25th in QBR, which Manning did this past season. But the Giants seem to be leaning toward another year with Manning as the starter after the offense showed some promise in the second half of the season. They finished sixth in offensive points per game (24.75) over the final eight weeks. Manning's salary of $17 million this season currently places him 15th among active quarterbacks. That's not an outrageous sum, although it could benefit the team if his salary and cap number were reduced this season. That remains a possibility even if it hasn't been discussed yet.
Prediction: Stay
