Eli Manning is due a bonus of $5 million if he is on the Giants’ roster on the fifth day of the NFL year, meaning his bank account gets a hefty direct deposit Sunday. Or perhaps Monday, if the electronic transaction is delayed a day based on weekend inactivity. Either way, what for the past 15 years was a formality — Eli getting paid — is now a litmus test for an entire franchise.
If that money is moved from team to player, Manning would be assured of returning for a 16th season. This was considered a foregone conclusion as recently as earlier this week, but with Tuesday night’s stunning development — the trade of Odell Beckham Jr.