NEW YORK—Insisting that they didn’t want to push the 38-year-old signal caller onto the field before he’s ready, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman told reporters Tuesday that the team was considering drafting a quarterback to mentor Eli Manning. “I think it will be good to keep Eli on the bench for a year or two so he can learn the ropes of being an NFL quarterback,” said Gettleman, noting that Manning could really benefit from watching and working with someone who had experience leading a Division I football team. “He’s definitely got the talent, he’s just raw. This will give him time to work on his mechanics and learn the playbook. Sometimes, you just need to be patient with someone like Eli, but it would be a shame if he was never given a chance to reach his true potential.” Gettleman added that, barring injury, Eli probably wouldn’t be ready for the starter role until the 2021 NFL season.

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