After gathering more information on the matter and investigating it thoroughly, the Giants remain high on rookie quarterback Kyle Lauletta following his arrest from a traffic incident this week and continue to explore the possibility of sitting struggling quarterback Eli Manning this season.
Lauletta was put in jail for six hours in an unusual situation this week as he was driving to the team facility around 7:45 a.m. ET. There was a major backup on his route, and, scrambling to be there by 8:30, he disobeyed a police officer on the scene who wanted him to take a lengthy detour. Sources said Lauletta did not act in a belligerent manner, though he does admit he should have obeyed the directive immediately. He was charged with eluding police and resisting attest. The quarterback contends that he never came close to hitting the officer or anyone else as he did pull off. He plans to fight any criminal charges and the Giants believe the third-round pick was open and honest with them about the situation and have not soured on him.
Lauletta, who played at Richmond where he earned rave reviews from coaches for his play and his demeanor, has displayed promise in his brief time with the team and the Giants entered their bye week under mounting pressure to explore options beyond Manning at the quarterback position. Despite the presence of numerous explosive offensive weapons, they have difficulty scoring points and Manning's accuracy and decision making have been long-simmering issues there. While Lauletta's arrest may serve to push back the process of getting him more first-string practice reps coming out of the bye, it is difficult to see a scenario where Manning plays out the season.
Manning was benched for Geno Smith a year ago before ownership and management decided to go back to the former Super Bowl winner a week later. The Giants are 1-6 and realize they will be in the quarterback market next year – whether through draft, free agency or trade – and Lauletta is a prospect they would like to evaluate more before then. The Giants are also carrying quarterback Alex Tanney on their roster.
Coach Pat Shurmur has conceded that the team needs to evaluate every aspect of its woeful offense, including quarterback, as the Giants mull changes of various sorts for the second half of what has already shaped up as another lost season in New York.
