Eli Manning Has 'More Appreciation' for Being Giants QB Entering 2019 Season

Eli Manning is bringing "more appreciation" into the 2019 season than ever before. 

The 38-year-old quarterback said as much and more while speaking with reporters at New York Giants training camp Wednesday.

"You have more appreciation. You don't know how long you get to play this or how long you get to do it, so I think that you are here and that you don't know what the future holds," Manning continued. "I think when you're younger, you assume you're gonna keep playing. You just assume you'll be back playing and don't think about it.

"Now, there is that mindset that you don't know the future of things, which is fine. I think it makes you appreciate being here and want to take advantage and prepare and be ready to take advantage of this opportunity."

Manning has been the Giants' starting quarterback since 2004, winning two Super Bowls during that span. However, the team's focus is definitely starting to shift away from him as New York drafted quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall in April. 

Also on Wednesday, head coach Pat Shurmur commented on what he has seen from Jones since drafting the 22-year-old out of Duke and vaguely addressed how the team plans to juggle both quarterbacks, according to the team's website: 

"I've learned quite a bit. None of it really surprised us in a negative way. He's very smart. He's one of the first guys in, one of the last guys to leave. He gets it from that standpoint. He throws the ball well, moves around well, he executes at a high level out there on the practice field. Training camp is the next step as we prepare for the preseason games and getting him ready to play so that he's ready to go when it's his time.

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"We'll see how that goes. We have a plan for that. It'll sort of reveal itself. ... In my mind, he has exceeded expectations."

For now, Manning is expected to be the Giants' starting quarterback for 2019. But New York is coming off of a disappointing 5-11 2018, and Jones is lurking over Manning's shoulder.