The Giants have done a lot in the first two days of NFL free agency, bolstering their defense with two impact players, adding depth to the offensive line and regaining their own wide receiver Darius Slayton.
But they didn't achieve what they set as their main goal: find a veteran quarterback who might need to start the opening day.
Here is the holding pattern, and for the Giants, this may be a prophecy of what will come. When you're dealing with Aaron Rodgers, be prepared for anything.
Rogers and the Steelers have mutual interest, but as often happens, turning that interest into a contract is a sticking point.
The 41-year-old Rodgers is fresh from his vain two seasons with the Jets and won't break the bank, but he'll want to get paid in line with the views of a future Hall of Fame quarterback worth his time and effort into his 21st NFL season.
The Giants have to wait for it.
They want to find a franchise quarterback in next month's NFL Draft, and have decided to sign a veteran before that.
The first choice this offseason was Matthew Stafford, who agreed to the terms of the contract and made an aggressive move to get him, believing that the 37-year-old will become their man in 2025.
Stafford ultimately decided to stay with the Rams, and trade never came to fruition.
The Giants then set their sights on Rogers, and Russell Wilson was also an option.
There were reports from Pittsburgh on Tuesday that the Steelers would be open to reviving Wilson if their contract with Rodgers stagnates.
Nevertheless, sources said the Steelers had not spoken about reunion with Wilson.
All of these have moving parts. Former Giants starter Daniel Jones seemed to have made clear the path to clarity at the quarterback when he went to the Colts rather than returning to the Vikings.
The Vikings were interested in getting Jones back – they signed his practice squad last season after the Giants abandoned him – and look ready to hand over the starting quarterback job to 2024's first round pick, JJ McCarthy.
The Vikings are a fascinating place considering the quarterback-friendly offense run by head coach Kevin O'Connell and the fact that they went 14-3 with Sam Dunold as the starter in 2024.
There are different views on whether Rogers and the Vikings are a match.
The official release of Rogers by the Jets comes at 4pm on Wednesday.
He was free to negotiate with the team after the Jets announced they were going to drive him away last month.
Now I thought that Rodgers had a new soccer home, but it rarely happens to him everyday or easy.
If the Giants miss out on Rogers and Wilson, the player that might be interested in them is Joe Flaco.
The 40-year-old played well for the Colts last season, earning 2-4 in six starts with six touchdown passes, seven interceptions and one passerby rating.
Does the Giants want to see this scenario unfold?
No, they don't.
But they lack options.
They own a third pick in the draft, and their goal is to get the chance to choose Camward or Chedure Sanders, trading to No. 1 if necessary.
They want the veteran in place and have to wait for it.
The Giants learned on Tuesday they received a compensatory draft pick in the third round – 99th overall – and that's useful if they need to package their picks to trade up.
