It’s hard to imagine anything more awkward than the rest of this New York Giants season. Lame-duck Ben McAdoo has become the least popular coach in Giants history after he benched Eli Manning, who will soldier on as a backup to … Geno Smith?

The rest of this season will be a train wreck, but what happens in 2018? Manning is on a decline but he’s clearly still one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the world. There are plenty of teams that could use him right now, and plenty that will be in the market for a veteran quarterback next offseason. If Manning wants to play, and the Giants either trade or cut him, Manning will be a starter somewhere next season. But where?

One complication is Manning’s no-trade clause. Assuming the Giants will try trading him before cutting him — if the Giants want to dump him at all, which we’ll get to in a moment — Manning could veto any deal. As NJ.com pointed out, Manning is due a $5 million bonus on the third day of the 2018 league year. Manning could refuse a trade and force the Giants to cut him before the bonus kicks in. There are a lot of different ways this could go.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been benched by coach Ben McAdoo. (AP) More

Let’s take a look at any remotely realistic scenario for where Manning plays in 2018:

Nowhere: Manning turns 37 on Jan. 3. He has made more than enough money in his career and would have career opportunities in retirement. Although the Giants didn’t help him much these past two seasons, he is declining as a player. I don’t think he decides he has had enough and walks away, but it’s not like it would be the most shocking decision we’ve seen. LIKELIHOOD: Seems unlikely, but you never know.

Giants: It looks like the Manning era is over with the Giants, and I’d probably guess it is, but it seems a little more complicated than that. It would be an absolute shock if Ben McAdoo is back as coach, and general manager Jerry Reese could be fired too. It’s hard to project what the Giants want to do with Manning when we have no idea who will be making that decision. What if the new regime doesn’t want to start over at quarterback in 2018? Manning’s cap number for 2018 isn’t outrageous at $22.2 million. Even if the Giants draft a quarterback with a high pick, maybe the new decision makers think it’s worth it to have Manning as a bridge to the quarterback of the future. Emotions are high now, but the coach who benched Manning will be gone and and it seems likely an entirely new staff will be making the Manning decision next year. LIKELIHOOD: Probably higher than it seems today.

Washington Redskins: Let’s go through some long shots, starting with this juicy one. Let’s say Kirk Cousins leaves via free agency. Would the Redskins really roll with Colt McCoy if they could acquire Manning? If Manning is a free agent (again, he can probably force the Giants to cut him before that bonus kicks in), maybe he wants to pull a Brett Favre and play against the Giants twice a year. There are many possible scenarios, but this one is easily the most entertaining. LIKELIHOOD: Nah, though here’s hoping.

New York Jets: OK, I lied. This is the most entertaining scenario of all. Manning wouldn’t even have to move. It doesn’t make any sense for the Jets to go this route (Josh McCown has been better than Manning this season and the Jets could re-sign him, or the Jets could go young next season) and there’s no way this happens, but it would be spiteful and awesome. LIKELIHOOD: No. But I’d pay to see this happen, just for the back-page headlines.

Buffalo Bills: The Bills clearly are lukewarm at best on Tyrod Taylor, and do you really want to enter next season with Nathan Peterman at quarterback? LIKELIHOOD: Doubtful, though the Bills are as unsettled at quarterback as anyone.

Arizona Cardinals: If Carson Palmer retires, the Cardinals will need a quarterback. It would be kind of funny if it was Manning. Manning started his career by backing up Kurt Warner, who went to the Cardinals and had a fine final chapter. Maybe Manning gets pushed out in New York and follows the same path. LIKELIHOOD: Seems like a long shot, though Manning fits the Cardinals’ profile of collecting old players.

Story continues