ANALYSIS: What's with all these quarterbacks, anyway?

Last week it was former Tennessee Titans' backup Rusty Smith. Friday, the New York Giants were connected to free-agent quarterbacks Josh Freeman and Matt Flynn.

What the heck is going on around here?

Are the Giants so concerned about Eli Manning and his surgically-repaired ankle that they feel they need a reject like Freeman or a career backup like Flynn? Isn't that what Curtis Painter is for? To be the guy nobody actually ever wants to see in a game?

Have they soured so much on 2013 fourth-round pick Ryan Nassib that they are auditioning replacements?

Probably nothing so drastic as either of those scenarios. Sure, there might be a little gamesmanship with Nassib -- trying to push the second-year man I still believe they would really like to see grab the No. 2 job. And there is undoubtedly the desire to protect themselves during OTAs and training camp, when they certainly won't want to push Manning and his surgically-repaired ankle too hard.

In the end, though, it's probably much ado about what probably won't amount to a whole lot.

The Giants have five preseason games, one more than everybody else. Manning just had ankle surgery. They carried four quarterbacks throughout preseason last year. Protecting themselves by adding at least one more before the start of the offseason program makes sense.