Manning no longer has safety net

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Quarterbacks
The Giants knew that Eli Manning would need some time to develop before pushing for the starting job, and Kurt Warner started the first nine games of the season last year as a result. Now that Warner is a Cardinal, Manning needs to start proving the Giants were wise to trade Phillip Rivers, a 2004 third-round pick, a 2005 first-round pick and a 2005 fifth-round pick to acquire him.

The good news is he appeared to get more comfortable with the offense as his rookie year progressed, and finished the season strong. Manning gets set quickly, has good pocket presence and is accurate.

However, he needs to make better decisions. While there's a lot to like about his confidence and desire to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line, he doesn't always take what the defense gives him. The departure of Warner leaves Manning without a safety net, as it's unclear who will win the backup job this year, and the concern is Manning tries to do too much as a result.

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