A decision that the Giants made just after Halloween could haunt their plans just after St. Patrick’s Day.

The Giants held firm on their asking prices for receiver Darius Slayton and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari on Nov. 5 and opted not to just take the best offers available at the NFL trade ᴅᴇᴀᴅline.

Now, both players will become free agents March 10, with no promise of returning, as the Giants need to upgrade many starters with an estimated $40 million in salary cap space.

“My main priority is just being an integral part of whatever offense I’m [in],” Slayton said as the season wrapped up. “I think I’ve shown that I’m a good football player. I’ve shown that I’m a positive impact in whatever offense I’m a part of. My primary goal is to get somewhere, or be a part of an offense, where I have a chance to impact the game every Sunday.”

From the point at which the Giants decided against trading either homegrown contributor, Slayton made seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown in seven games for a lifeless offense; Ojulari recorded four tackles (no sacks) in two games before finishing the season on injured reserve (toe); and the Giants went 1-7.

“I’m excited,” Ojulari said of his first venture into free agency. “Right now, I’m where my feet are. No rush to it. You never know if it’s here, whatever. Whatever the best situation is that I can help the team win, come in and contribute. Play.”

The Giants would have considered acquiring a fourth-round pick for Ojulari, who was in the middle of one of the best stretches of his four-year career with five sacks in three games as a fill-in starter for the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux.

But the market to rent edge rushers was set at about a sixth-rounder.

Slayton likely would’ve brought back similar value to the fifth-rounder that the Jets received from the Steelers for Mike Williams, but Slayton’s locker room leadership and ability to simplify head coach Brian Daboll’s complex offense for younger receivers Malik Nabers and Jalin Hyatt was too valuable to lose.

Slayton isn’t holding a grudge against Daboll or general manager Joe Schoen for not meeting his desire for a restructured contract in the spring or for limiting his productivity with the business decision to bench and then cut quarterback Daniel Jones, whose chemistry with Slayton went back to 2019.

“We’ll see how it pans out,” Slayton said. “[Daboll and Schoen returning] doesn’t really impact me either way. Whether it was them or somebody else, the conversation would’ve been the same.”

While the paltry trade returns offered to the Giants last November hardly seemed to make a difference at the time, every draft ᴀsset counts if Schoen needs to trade up from pick No. 3 in the first round into the top two to secure either one of quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward.

The Bears traded two third-rounders and a fourth-rounder to move up from No. 3 to No. 2 in 2017.

The Giants should have eight picks — one more than the standard allotment — in the 2025 draft once compensatory picks are ᴀssigned.

Based on last offseason’s net gains and losses in free agency — when first team All-Pros Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney walked away after not being traded at the 2023 in-season ᴅᴇᴀᴅline — the Giants are projected to gain an extra fourth-rounder by Over The Cap.

If the Giants lose Slayton — a team like the Bengals could pursue him as a cheaper No. 2 receiver with an untapped ceiling if they lose Tee Higgins — then Hyatt is the top in-house replacement option. Slayton’s price tag should’ve increased based on the market since he signed a two-year, $12 million deal in 2023.

“I would love for Slay to come back,” receiver Wan’Dale Robinson said. “He has the freedom to do what he wants, but he’s definitely the leader of our receiver room and I’ll definitely be sad if he’s gone. I’m confident in Jalin being able to run routes and do everything like a pro. I think he’s going to do just fine if he has to step into that role.”

Ojulari’s path to the field here is blocked by Thibodeaux and Brian Burns.

There always is a strong market for pᴀss rushers with sack production — even those with extensive injury histories like Ojulari’s.

“I’m feeling great. I’m healthy right now,” Ojulari said, describing his season-ending injury as a ligament on the side of his foot. “I’m ready to roll and train every day as normal again.”