How a Giants’ Eli Manning succession could shape up

Kyle Lauletta, the rookie quarterback from Richmond, is a perfect six-for-six this season. Six games, six designations as inactive. On game days, he is on the sideline, but not in uniform.

The logical conclusion to draw from this is Lauletta is the No. 3 quarterback, behind starter Eli Manning and backup Alex Tanney.

Well, nothing about this sorry Giants season is very logical.

Tanney is activated on game days because he is 30 years old and more experienced, kicking around the NFL for four years, although there is only one appearance in an actual regular-season game, coming in relief for the Titans in 2015, on his résumé. Should anything happen to Manning during a game, the Giants for now feel more comfortable having Tanney close things out.

Coach Pat Shurmur said the pecking order only appears as if Tanney is ahead of Lauletta.

“I guess because he’s not active on game day, naturally it feels like he’s third,’’ Shurmur said of Lauletta. “But during the week he gets as many reps as Alex.’’

Tanney is a placeholder. The Giants think Lauletta might — might — have a shot to one day replace Manning. They are intrigued by Lauletta’s instincts, fully cognizant he does not possess a howitzer of a right arm. They like the way he moves and how he sees the field and believe he might have something worth developing.

That means the time will come when Lauletta is bumped up and activated on game days. The Giants are 1-5 and Manning is part of the problem. He is not the only problem. But he does have a hand in this mess, and at 37, the Giants are going to get someone up in the bullpen. It figures to be Lauletta, not Tanney, getting the call.

If the Giants possessed a touted, bona fide quarterback prospect — as in a high draft pick — the outcry would be deafening to get him in and yank Eli out. At the moment, it is a murmur, mainly because Lauletta is such an unknown.

“I don’t think any of us really care, pay attention what everybody’s saying outside of football,’’ Lauletta said. “The people in this locker room, those are the people that matter, those are the people that are gonna win the games, not anybody else who wants to talk about this or that. It really doesn’t matter.’’

Lauletta and Tanney operate the scout team in practice, giving their own defense a look at what the next opponent will run on offense. The only time they get to throw to Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard and work with Saquon Barkley is during drills versus air, without a defense on the field. The meaningful quarterback reps go to the starter.

“Whenever it’s a practice period, Eli’s getting those reps, because he needs to be ready,’’ Lauletta said. “You’re not going to prepare the guys who aren’t going to be in there making the plays on Sundays. He takes those.’’

For now, Shurmur is not making a move. There’s no doubt the Giants believe Lauletta needs more time, anyway. If the situation continues to deteriorate on the field in the coming weeks, figure Lauletta will be worked onto the field and, eventually, receive an opportunity to start a game late in the season.

This was the plan Ben McAdoo wanted to put in place last season. McAdoo envisioned Davis Webb starting the final three games, with Geno Smith starting two while Webb got up to speed. That plan was deep-sixed, not by McAdoo, who was fired immediately after a loss in Oakland, Smith’s first start — and Manning’s first non-start in 210 consecutive games. Giants ownership caved in, relenting to tremendous uproar from fans angered that Manning had been cast aside for Smith, a Jets retread. Manning was reinserted as the starter for the final four games and Webb never got off the bench.

Manning, in keeping with his comportment for 15 years, has stayed the course as the Giants sink. Lauletta is an interested observer.

“Win or loss, he’s the same guy, he comes into work every day and has the same mindset, has the same attitude,’’ Lauletta said. “That’s what you want in your quarterback, that’s what you want in your leader. There are a lot of young guys, a lot of new faces and they look to the quarterback and he’s steady, he brings the same effort, the same energy, the same person every day and that’s all you can ask for. We’ll figure this out, Eli’s doing fine. He just has to keep chipping away at it, keep leading this team like he’s doing right now and we’ll all rally around him and hopefully we’ll get some wins here.’’

This regime is sticking with Manning, but if the losses continue to pile up, they will not leave this season without at least getting a look at Lauletta. He is a fourth-round pick from a modest level of competition and envisioning him as next in line is a stretch. But you never know until you try.