NFL free agency began one week ago — and the Giants still have no solution for their quarterback mess.
They continue to wait on Aaron Rodgers — their fallback plan after they failed to trade for Matthew Stafford. Rodgers reportedly prefers to sign with the Vikings, though it’s unclear if they want him.
It’s unclear if Rodgers prefers the Steelers over the Giants (or vice versa). Both teams are pursuing him. But he reportedly might retire — instead of joining the Steelers or Giants — if the Vikings don’t sign him.
Anyone looking at this saga logically can see that the Steelers and Vikings are both better options than the Giants for a quarterback in Rodgers' situation.
So with all that in mind, how much longer can the Giants afford to wait on Rodgers before they move on to their third quarterback option (which surely is Russell Wilson and not Joe Flacco)?
The answer to that question depends on the answer to this: Just how comfortable is the hot-seat Joe Schoen/Brian Daboll regime with the idea of rolling with Flacco as its only sure-thing quarterback?
While the Giants wait on Rodgers, it’s possible Wilson signs with the Browns — who, like the Giants, hosted him on a free agent visit. (The Giants also hosted Flacco on a visit.)
If the Giants sign Rodgers or Wilson, it’s conceivable that they might not draft a quarterback high on April 24. But if they settle for Flacco — who would be their fourth choice — they’ll surely pick a quarterback at No. 3 (or higher), right?
Well, the one problem with that is this: The Titans might refuse to trade down from No. 1 and decide to take Cam Ward there. And then the Browns at No. 2 might draft Shedeur Sanders even after signing Wilson. That would be a nightmare scenario for the Giants, if they sign Flacco.
It’s certainly possible that Wilson signing with the Browns would result in them rolling with him for 2025 and picking, say, Travis Hunter at No. 2. That would leave Sanders for the Giants at No. 3. And if the Giants have to settle for Flacco, they could absolutely not pass on Sanders at No. 3.
Again, it’s entirely possible that Wilson says “the heck with this” and signs with the Browns as the Giants wait on Rodgers (and the Vikings). That would leave Flacco — or maybe Jameis Winston — as the Giants' only backup plan for Rodgers, who could still opt for the Steelers over the Giants even if the Vikings don’t want to make him their next Brett Favre.
It seems unlikely that Schoen and Daboll would suddenly choose to stop waiting on Rodgers — and just sign Wilson, if only so they don’t have to settle for Flacco. But they surely know they could get shut out on Ward and Sanders in the draft. They have to prepare for that possibility.
Rodgers clearly is in no rush. He doesn’t need to rush. Neither do the Vikings, since they have J.J. McCarthy. As for the Giants, they technically don’t need a decision from Rodgers until the draft.
But Wilson surely doesn’t want to wait that long. So yes, he might pick the Browns before the Vikings decide if they actually want Rodgers — or Rodgers decides if he even wants to play for the Giants or Steelers.
And that would leave the Giants in a dicey situation.
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Darryl Slater may be reached atdslater@njadvancemedia.com.