Eli Manning contract extension: Giants, Manning finalize $84 million deal

Eli Manning and the New York Giants have agreed to a four-year, $84 million contract extension per multiple reports. Including the $17.5 million Manning is set to earn this season that means his deal will total $101.5 million and run through the 2019 season. That virtually assures that the 34-year-old Manning will complete his career as a Giant. Guaranteed money in the deal reportedly totals $65 million.

Giants and Eli Manning have their agreement. Same terms but Giants agreed to main hurdle - no-trade clause.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) September 11, 2015

The $21 million average of the four new seasons places Manning fuourth among NFL quarterbacks behind Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers ($22 million), Seattle's Russell Wilson ($21.9 million) and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger ($21.85 million). The $84 million is in between Roethlisberger's $87.4 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philip Rivers $83.25 million deal with the San Diego Chargers.

Large RT @RVacchianoNYDN: The deal also includes a $31 million signing bonus and a reduced 2015 salary that presumably will clear cap space.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2015

Note on Eli Manning's deal: He isn't the highest paid player in "new" money but the $101.5m due him is highest 5-year payout sked ever.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 11, 2015

Valentine's View

Despite whatever cap savings the adjusted contract brings this season -- which could be carried into 2016 should the Giants not use it -- I can already hear the complaints that Eli's cap number will be too high. The "Tom Brady takes less" argument. Phooey! Check the contract numbers -- what Manning just received is the going rate for franchise quarterbacks. Especially franchise quarterbacks with Super Bowl titles.

I have long thought the Giants and Manning would reach an agreement, and that it was the right thing to do. Sure, Mannng is 34. Sure, there was a remote possibility the Giants would let the final year play out in the event that they needed to rebuild completely after 2015.

What, though, is the one thing teams always chase? That they have to have? That the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, really good teams otherwise, would die for? A quarterback who can win the big game. Eli has done that that twice, and as Art Stapleton points out, no other NFC East quarterback has done that since Troy Aikman in 1996.

Writing Friday morning, before the deal was finalized, Ralph Vacchiano said this was "money the Giants will be very, very happy to pay."

And they should be. Sure, Manning has flaws. Even in Ben McAdoo's completion-friendly system he can still have awful games. There are those mystifying lows. But, we know what the ceiling is.

Do you really want to see the Giants go on a decade-long search for a franchise quarterback? Remember how long it took them to find Manning after Phil Simms retired. There were some highs in between, but there was an awful lot of really bad football, too.

Even if he's in decline toward the end of his deal, like his brother Peyton currently is in Denver, wouldn't it be better to keep the franchise quarterback, know you have the essential piece taken care of, and try to get the right pieces around him to win at least one more Super Bowl before you do have to start that search for a replacement?

I think so. Flaws and all, Giants fans should be glad Manning will be their quarterback for the next five seasons.