Call him Elite Manning

You can't spell the word elite without eli.

But is he really a top-tier quarterback?

Eli Manning certainly wants to be paid like one. Actually, he wants to be the highest paid slinger, period.

The irony in all of this is even the best quarterbacks -- the other Manning, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, and Drew Brees -- don't even crack the First Five of top dosh dudes.

There's one exception: Aaron Rodgers. But no one is going to argue that that dude doesn't deserve his $22mil per year.

This Manning certainly has the leverage. He's won two Super Bowls for the New York Giants. Many argue that his Gotham teams weren't even that good, but that's still two Super Bowls to Peyton's one.

Many people consider Peyton to be the greatest signal-caller ever, but what about Eli?

He'll always be in the shadow of his brother, even with more Super Bowl victories.

Dude's 34 now. Should the G-Men pay Eli for what he's accomplished or for what they believe he can accomplish?

I'm a firm advocate for paying someone for what they can do instead of what they did do. The Los Angelos Lakers believe otherwise, given that ridiculous contract they awarded an oft-injured Kobe Bryant but that's another story.

Eli's currently listed at No 17 on the QB contract list, getting paid a lowly $17mil this year.

Dude's got significant leverage, and the Giants -- if they wanted -- could affix the franchise label, making Eli the highest paid player in the NFL.

I think he deserves more money. He's definitely better than Colin Kapernick and Cam Newton at this point in their careers. They aren't even in the same arena when it comes to the mental fortitude one has to possess to succeed on football's biggest stage.

Eli Manning has ice in his veins. When his team needs him, he usually seizes that opportunity, although David Tyree and Mario Manningham certainly helped him with those two incredible catches.

Regardless, pay da man!

Eli might not be a top tier quarterback, but the market suggests that he can certainly be paid like one.

If anything, he can always hold this over his older brother.