Giants stand pat at NFL trade deadline after wide receiver intrigue

As their two biggest rivals loaded up for playoff runs and their neighbor tanked for control of the draft board, the Giants sat idly at the NFL trade deadline.

The counterintuitive but enticing possibility of trading draft picks for a receiver who could accelerate Jaxson Dart’s development and complement a healthy Malik Nabers next season never materialized.

The thought of trading defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence or edge Kayvon Thibodeaux — like the Jets dealing away Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner — for draft picks was unpalatable with jobs to be saved by wins.

And so the team that takes the field Sunday against the Bears will be the same team that is off to a 2-7 start.

No Jaylen Waddle, who stayed with the Dolphins. The asking price was a first-round pick plus other assets, The Post confirmed, and the Giants currently possess the No. 5 pick, according to Tankathon.

No Chris Olave, who stayed with the Saints. His history of concussions would have been a big risk to assume for the injury-averse Giants.

No Garrett Wilson, who was deemed untouchable in the Jets fire sale, a league source told The Post.

No Adonai Mitchell, who was thrown into the Jets-Colts deal.

No Jakobi Meyers, who was the Saints to the Seahawks. Both wideouts are half-season rentals, and the Giants only were considering players who were under contract in 2026 (and maybe beyond) so as not to be an immediate leverage disadvantage in a contract negotiation, as was the case with the in-season acquisition of Leonard Williams in 2019.

General manager Joe Schoen feverishly worked the phones from all angles in recent weeks but didn’t find a deal that fit the Giants’ unusual combination of hot seats, no playoff hopes and mixing short- and long-term plans. One of his best strengths is being in tune to all the league’s buzz, unlike his two predecessors.

While some fans would’ve been excited about the prospect of adding a big-name receiver, others might have seen it as a stark pivot from Schoen’s stated goal of building through the draft to acquiring proven talent for draft capital after too many draft misses.

Because no deals were made, it is unclear whether ownership would have empowered Schoen to trade future assets and, thus, quietly signaled a vote of confidence for his future in charge of the operation.

The Giants couldn’t find serious takers for right tackle Evan Neal or receiver Jalin Hyatt.

Neal is a failed right tackle who was converted to right guard and went from competing to start in training camp to a third-stringer who has not played a snap all season. He is an eight-week rental before free agency.

Hyatt has 11 catches for 79 yards in 22 games over the past two seasons and has been passed on the depth chart by multiple receivers elevated from the practice squad. He began returning kickoffs last week to see if that could add to his value.

Why would any team have wanted their draft busts? Well, there is a lengthy recent history of players leaving town and realizing their full potential — Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, Leonard Williams, Julian Love and so on — so a low-risk, high-reward buy could’ve been attractive to a team that once upon a team had high draft grades on Neal or Hyatt.

One player who would’ve made sense to move — and might have drawn a trade offer — was cornerback Deonte Banks, whose promising rookie season has been washed away by benchings, effort concerns, poor tackling and failures at turning his head around for pass breakups. But the Giants are in an untimely bind at cornerback with injuries to Paulson Adebo, Cor’Dale Flott and Art Green.

The big moves in the NFC East were made by the first-place Eagles (who addressed their two biggest concerns by acquiring cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander, as well as pass rusher Jaelan Phillips prior to Tuesday) and the Cowboys, who are chasing a wild-card berth.

Hours after losing to the Cardinals to fall to 3-5, the Cowboys traded for linebacker Logan Wilson and gave a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the Jets for Williams.

The price for Williams would have set the market on any teams interested in the comparable Lawrence. It would have taken an eye-opening offer for the Giants to part with Thibodeaux, who was not really available when teams called.

— additional reporting by Paul Schwartz