Giants looking for QB to handle 'mental load' of playing in New York

While it's no secret the New York Giants are in the market for Eli Manning's eventual successor, the team is looking for its next franchise quarterback to possess a particular character trait.

General manager Dave Gettleman is placing a lot of importance on a quarterback prospect's ability to handle adversity, believing it's just as important as his prowess on the field.

"Being the quarterback of a team in this kind of a market is a load, is a mental load," Gettleman said, according to Newsday's Tom Rock. "You've got to really vet out the backgrounds of these guys … It's more than just collecting data and looking at a guy's physical talent. It's about his makeup.

"Some of them you have to dig so deep to see where they had adversity, it's painful," he added. "Everybody has adversity. Everybody."

Manning is expected to start the upcoming season but his decline in play in recent years has led critics to suggest the team should be searching for his eventual replacement. Even the 38-year-old believes the team will draft his successor early in the draft.

The Giants currently possess two first-round picks in next week's draft - No. 6 and No. 17 overall - and could target a signal-caller early to ensure they select the top prospect on their board.