Aaron Rodgers will be officially released by the Jets at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Well before then, he could have a new team.
And that team could be the Giants, although it also could be someone else out there interested in bringing in a 41-year old quarterback on the downside of his Hall of Fame career.
The Giants, and all other teams poking around for a quarterback, have been permitted to speak with Rodgers since the Jets made it known on Feb. 13 — via a breaking news story on their own website — that they were parting ways with him.
Negotiations have likewise been permitted since then, although an actual contract can’t be signed until he is released by the Jets.
It is clear that Rodgers is not the Giants’ first choice.
Their Plan A was Matthew Stafford and they got as far as agreeing to a contract extension.
They had been in talks with Stafford for nearly a month, and there was a time when the Giants believed they would be able to swing a trade with the Rams and that Stafford would be their next starting quarterback.
Stafford ultimately opted to return to the Rams.
The Giants saw Stafford, 36, as having at least two good seasons in him, and acquiring him would have mitigated the need to select a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in next month’s NFL draft.
Rodgers is viewed as a nine-month rental and his presence would mean the Giants most likely would still try to get Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders or trade with the тιтans up to the No. 1 spot, presumably to land Ward.
Then, Rodgers would start and, depending on how he and the team fared, the rookie would watch and learn.
If things went south, when the rookie was deemed ready he would be inserted into the lineup.
It remains to be seen what sort of market is out there for Rodgers.
The Vikings make some sense, if they want an experienced and capable starter to hold the fort until J.J. McCarthy, their 2024 first-round pick, is fully healthy following two knee surgeries that forced him to miss his rookie season.
Daniel Jones, released by the Giants during the season, is also an option to re-sign with the Vikings — he was on their practice squad last season.
The Seahawks trading away Geno Smith to the Raiders means the Raiders do not need a quarterback but the Seahawks do.
It is fair to say that the Giants have cast several lines into the quarterback waters.
They are monitoring what happens with 36-year old Russell Wilson and he could end up being their guy.
Sam Darnold resuscitated his career in 2024 with the Vikings but he is not expected to return to Minnesota.
He is expected to be the top option to replace Smith in Seattle.
Rodgers could also interest the Steelers, depending on what they do with Wilson and Justin Fields.
The Giants are coming off a 3-14 season and general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll understand they need to win far more games in 2025.
They are desperate to find a capable quarterback in free agency and a solid prospect in the draft, with only Tommy DeVito on the roster at the position.
Rodgers last season tossed 28 touchdown pᴀsses and threw for 3,897 yards, but the Jets went 5-12 and Rodgers failed to deliver several times down the stretch — the Jets went 3-7 in one-score games.
Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, seeing the rumors of a Rodgers-Vikings pairing, took to his X account on Sunday to post, “If Aaron goes to the Vikings, he might be #1 in all QB stats,” and added a crying emoji.
The Giants are certainly aware of all of Rodgers’ quirks and controversies and realize he is far from a slam-dunk choice.
They also know all their options have flaws.
There is no perfect choice, but a choice will have to be made.
