The Giants fully expect Eli Manning to be fine by the time training camp starts the third week of July.
Before then, though, the arthroscopic surgery he had to hasten the healing process on his surgically repaired high left ankle sprain will keep him out for most or all of the offseason workouts. That means the Giants are in the market for another quarterback with some experience, and that could lead them to Josh Freeman or Matt Flynn.
There are no visits scheduled yet for Freeman and Flynn to work out for the Giants, but something could develop for next week.
At present, lining up on the roster behind Manning are Curtis Painter and Ryan Nassib. The Giants would like to see Nassib take a significant step forward in his second year and win the backup job, allowing them to keep only two quarterbacks on the roster.
Manning hurt his left ankle in the Dec. 29 regular-season finale and, after rest and rehab, the ankle did not respond as well as he or the Giants had hoped. Surgery was discussed but not scheduled before this week, when Manning participated in a passing camp at Duke University, an annual event he attends with brother Peyton.
Eli wanted to test his ankle on the field while throwing to NFL receivers — he worked with teammates Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham, among others — and he determined he did not feel right. On Thursday, he underwent an arthroscopic procedure called a debridement, cleaning out his ankle in order to allow it to heal completely. The prognosis is for him to be able to run again in about six weeks.
That timeframe means the Giants need another arm. They start their offseason workout program April 21 and their first organized team activity practice is May 28. It’s likely Manning will not be cleared to do much of anything before the team’s mandatory three-day mini-camp June 17-19, and an additional quarterback is needed to pick up the slack between now and then, perhaps on into training camp.
Flynn, 28, makes sense in that he would undoubtedly come with the approval of new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, who was the quarterbacks coach in Green Bay last year when Flynn returned to the Packers — the team that drafted him in 2008 — after brief stays with the Seahawks, Raiders and Bills. Flynn filled in last season when Aaron Rodgers was sidelined with a broken collarbone and went 2-2-1 in five starts, helping the Packers stay afloat and make the playoffs before Rodgers returned.
Freeman, 26, is a former first-round draft pick of the Buccaneers, but after some promising moments, he fell into disfavor in Tampa, was cut last season and ended up in Minnesota. His only start for the Vikings came against the Giants, and he was terrible, completing 20 of 53 passes with an interception as the 0-6 Giants won their first game. Freeman had concussion-like symptoms after the loss and missed the remainder of 2013 sitting behind Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel.
The Packers remain interested in re-signing Flynn.
“I’d like to have Matt back,’’ Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last month at the NFL owners meetings. “I thought Matt was a good addition to our football team. I have great respect and admiration for him. I’m hoping financially it works out.’’
The Giants re-signed Painter this offseason to a one-year, $730,000 contract. He threw 16 passes last season, completing eight for 57 yards and two interceptions. Manning has started 151 consecutive regular-season games.