Giants Country

Why Giants Need to Exit Gracefully from the Aaron Rodgers Waiting Game

The Giants have a dwindling number of other options at QB besides Aaron Rodgers which they risk losing if they continue to operate on Rodgers' timeline.

Patricia Traina

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has two teams waiting to hear his decision, and he reportedly waits to hear if a third team might want his services.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has two teams waiting to hear his decision, and he reportedly waits to hear if a third team might want his services. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The New York Giants have done a lot to upgrade their roster through the first week of free agency, but they’ve yet to address what general manager Joe Schoen has called “the most important position” on a team: quarterback.

Quite honestly, it’s their own fault. The Giants, who came close to landing Matthew Stafford of the Rams in a trade, having met the trade compensation and the money only to learn at the eleventh hour that Stafford felt there was no place like home, have since turned their attention to Aaron Rodgers.

Remember, Rodgers was reportedly the one who contacted the Giants once the Jets permitted him to speak with other teams just before the start of the combine.

But any intrigue Rodgers might have initially had about joining the Giants has since been put on the back burner to simmer. This is because the now ex-Jets quarterback, who has reportedly had discussions with the Steelers, is waiting to see if the Vikings, who lost Sam Darnold in free agency to the Seahawks, will come calling.

The Giants? Instead of putting a hard deadline on Rodgers for an answer like they should do, they appear to be still waiting for Rodgers to deliver an answer despite the Giants having had discussions this week with Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson.

With free agency about to enter the second wave this week, maybe the Giants should make the decision for Rodgers and gracefully bow out of the mix for his services instead of continuing to play the waiting game. 

The Giants, in sitting there and waiting for a guy who reportedly is waiting to see if the Vikings might want him–and that same report from The Athletic claims that if the Vikings don’t want him, Rodgers just might end up retiring–are showing a tinge of desperation which other free agents could potentially look to use in driving up their prices. 

But more importantly, in waiting for Rodgers to decide, the Giants risk losing Wilson, probably their next best option if they don’t get Rodgers, to another team, which would leave them up a creek without a paddle. 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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