The New York Giants took their first crack at addressing the quarterback position this offseason. They led with a massive swing at Super Bowl winner Matthew Stafford that came up short.
It certainly wasn't from lack of trying. Multiple industry sources said the Giants were willing to pay Stafford in the $50 million range per season, but he ultimately decided to remain with the Los Angeles Rams.
It was the first try in an offseason where general manager Joe Schoen said he would "look under every rock" to add a franchise quarterback. Surely more will follow.
The Stafford pursuit was an up-and-down process. But they had to give it a shot, and there were even times (as recently as Thursday) when they seemed optimistic something would get done, an industry source who spoke with the team said.
Ultimately, trading for Stafford didn't happen and now it's on to Plan B, which begins with acquiring a veteran quarterback who can simultaneously hold down the fort and, potentially, serve as a mentor should the Giants find a QB in the draft.
The veteran option is the immediate priority only because free agency comes before the draft. The free agent negotiating window opens March 10.
Aaron Rodgers is among the veteran options, ESPN's Adam Schefter said last week. He's a possibility but hardly a slam dunk.
But he's not the only veteran quarterback the Giants are considering. Sam Darnold and Russell Wilson are believed to be near the top of the Giants' list, should they make it to free agency, according to multiple sources who spoke with the team at the NFL scouting combine.
New York had interest in Darnold last offseason, but he was out of their price range at the time. Wilson also considered the Giants among his top options at the start of this offseason and visited last March before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kirk Cousins could come into consideration if or when he's released by the Atlanta Falcons.
Signing a Rodgers, Wilson or Cousins-type still will not change the Giants' approach in the draft.
"Even if you get a young quarterback, you'd like to have a vet in the room with him to show him the ropes and how to be a pro," Schoen said at the combine.
The next step for the Giants is to find a future quarterback in the draft. It's imperative because that was owner John Mara's top priority for this offseason -- find a future quarterback.
The best way to do so is by trading for the top pick. Multiple league sources left their meetings with the Giants this week thinking a trade for the No. 1 pick with the Tennessee Titans was likely. In that scenario, they expected it to be for Miami's Cam Ward.
Schoen said last week he would be open to a move up (or down) in this year's draft. Currently, the Giants are scheduled to pick third overall.
Speaking with evaluators throughout the league and sources with knowledge of the quarterback market, there seemed to be an overwhelming consensus that Ward is the top option in an overall weak QB draft. Most didn't think Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is in the same prospect tier as Ward. The thinking is that Sanders doesn't have an elite trait or skill.
Sanders doesn't seem a lock for the top three of the draft anymore, although one source did indicate he had some support in the Giants' building. Another source thought the Giants' consistent scouting of Sanders was a smoke screen.
But Sanders did light up when the idea of playing in New York was mentioned as he maneuvered around the media room last week in Indianapolis. Sanders told ESPN he would embrace coming to New York.
The Giants' fallback option if they don't get a quarterback with their first pick is to either make a move into the backend of the first round or somewhere on Day 2. Mississippi's Jaxson Dart and Texas' Quinn Ewers acquitted themselves the best during workouts at the combine. They seem to lead that next tier of quarterbacks at the moment.
Still, the process isn't complete. Schoen said the Giants hadn't had the opportunity to sit down with Ward prior to last week. They met with him at the combine, and Ward and Sanders are among the quarterbacks expected to visit the Giants facility in the coming weeks. Schoen and his staff will also be present at most all the top quarterback's Pro Days.
There is still plenty that can happen between now and the NFL draft on April 24. The Giants still have to add a veteran quarterback and determine whether any of these prospects are the right fit for their organization and situation.
"Can they handle the pressure of playing in the New York market and adversity? And again, that's what comes with being the quarterback of the New York Giants and that's important," Schoen said. "We've had a couple of prospects over the last couple of years that we didn't think mentally could handle it even though they were physically talented, just didn't think it would be a great fit."
The quest to find a quarterback continues. There are still a few more swings to be had.