INDIANAPOLIS — The Giants took another significant step toward making Super Bowl winner Matthew Stafford the unlikely solution to their franchise quarterback search.

Stafford’s representatives met with the Giants on Tuesday night at the NFL Scouting Combine, a source told The Post. The Rams granted permission for the 37-year-old Stafford’s representatives to talk contract numbers with other teams because he is seeking a raise that might not fit their plan.

Stafford is due a $26 million salary this season on his outdated four-year, $160 million contract. If the thought was that teams would be reluctant to negotiate and do the dirty work of setting the market for the Rams, the Giants and maybe the Raiders seem to be proving that wrong.

If Stafford hears a new deal that he likes, the Rams would have to decide whether to restructure his contract, work out trade compensation or try to move forward with a disgruntled Pro Bowl quarterback.

There is skepticism around the combine that the Rams ultimately will part ways with Stafford, especially with no quarterback in waiting. They were one touchdown away from beating the Super Bowl champion Eagles in the playoffs and have an ascending young roster at key spots.

“He is the best quarterback of all the ones that could be available,” an NFL offensive coach told The Post — gauging a veteran market that includes Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. “He’s still got the arm talent, and he brings you fewer headaches than some of the others.”

Stafford won’t provide a long-term answer at the position, but Giants general manager Joe Schoen said that his all-encompᴀssing search is for “the best player available that can help us win games in 2025.”

Asked on Tuesday afternoon whether he planned to meet with Stafford’s representatives given that formal permission erased any tampering concerns, Schoen still deferred all questions to the Rams. He said the Giants would explore all options.

Stafford is said to be seeking more than $50 million per year. The Giants are estimated to have $48.3 million in salary cap space by overthecap.com.

Trading for Stafford immediately would energize a Giants fan base left downtrodden by a 3-14 record. The other logical path forward is to draft a franchise quarterback, but it is no certainty that either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders would be available when the Giants are slated to pick No. 3, which could force Schoen into a trade of a different kind.

“What are their expectations?” an NFC executive told The Post. “If you are bringing in Matthew Stafford to win the Super Bowl or beat the big dogs in the NFC, that’s not going to happen. If you are bringing in Matthew Stafford to say, ‘We are going to be better than we’ve been the past two years,’ sure, that will happen. You have to ask yourself, ‘What is the price for Matthew Stafford making us relevant and compeтιтive?’ ”

Stafford and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady recently met in Montana, according to multiple reports. Fox Sports reported that a recruitment meeting between the contemporaries happened last weekend at Brady’s home — which would be a violation of tampering rules — while NFL Network described the meeting as unplanned and not in depth, taking place at a ski resort.

Either way, the ball is rolling unusually far down the road on a Rams-Stafford split for it to later be walked back.

“The interesting and the challenging dilemma and dynamics within this are, ‘Hey, how do you continuously as a head coach look at the short term and the long term and be able to figure out what does that really look like?’ ” Rams head coach Sean McVay said on the “Fitz and Whit” podcast. “There’s no dispute. And let’s not get it twisted in regards to anybody wanting him to be our quarterback. Now, there’s layers to it.”