The Giants didn’t need free agency or a wide receiver to accomplish the goal of upgrading the weapons around Daniel Jones.

General manager Joe Schoen agreed to a trade Tuesday with the Raiders, acquiring former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller in exchange for a third-round pick in the upcoming draft, sources told The Post.

The pick (No. 100 overall) originally belonged to the Chiefs but was part of the Giants’ in-season trade return for Kadarius Toney.

It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for the Giants, who decided on Waller over signing one of the top free-agent tight ends such as Dalton Schultz, Mike Gesicki or Hayden Hurst.

The top of the wide receiver market saw Allen Lazard (Jets) and Jakobi Meyers (Raiders) secure deals worth $11 million per year.

The Giants inherit the final four years and $46.5 million (plus $5.1 million in per-game bonuses) on Waller’s contract, but he is not guaranteed any money after this season.

In other words, the Giants could cut ties any time from 2024-26 without adding dead money to the salary cap, unless they decide to restructure the deal to free up more space in 2023.

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The Giants are trading for Darren Waller.

Waller, 30, produced back-to-back 1,100-yard receiving seasons with 12 total touchdowns in 2019 and 2020, but he has been beset by injuries to his knee, back and hamstrings and limited to 17 total games over the past two seasons.

He’s still “an elite talent,” one coach familiar with Waller’s game told The Post when asked if the injuries zapped his explosiveness.

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The start of Waller’s career was marred by suspensions (including for the entire 2017 season) for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.

He is a self-described recovering drug and alcohol addict.

Darren Waller and his wife Kelsey Plum after a 2022 WNBA playoff game.
Darren Waller on Jan. 7, 2023.

“I started to rely on it for everything, and that’s how it became an addiction — like I had to rely on it to have fun, I had to rely on it to have some peace, I had to rely on it to celebrate, I had to rely on it when I was down about something, when I was lonely,” Waller told The Post in 2020. “So it was just like everything in my life revolved around it.”

Waller turned his life around with a 34-day stint in rehab and a humbling job stocking grocery shelves — a long way from the NFL.

“I see someone that’s trying to live with integrity, treat other people with respect, treat myself with respect,” he said of himself. “I try to bring a strong work ethic to everything that I put myself into. I’m present in the day.”

Darren Waller scores a touchdown against the 49ers on Jan. 1, 2023.
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Darren Waller with Derek Carr.
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The Raiders shopped Waller for a year and nearly sent him to the Packers in the Davante Adams trade last offseason, according to NFL Network.

One of their goals this offseason was to add more draft capital, and the Giants made ideal partners with an abundance of 11 picks, after adding two (third- and sixth-rounders) for Toney and two more (fifth- and seventh-rounders) when compensatory picks were distributed last week.

Waller and Kelsey Plum of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces were married this month but their wedding date was secret until Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels revealed it at the NFL Scouting Combine.

McDaniels’ slip angered Waller, according to The Athletic.

The Giants’ decision to give up on Toney — their oft-injured underachieving first-round pick in 2021 — looks much different with Waller inserted into the deal instead of the two nameless picks.

Toney, who played a limited role for the Chiefs but was one of the surprise stars of their Super Bowl 2023 victory, quickly reacted Tuesday to his name appearing linked to the trade by tweeting laughing and yawning emoji faces.

The trade, which can’t be officially completed or announced until 4 p.m. Wednesday, is far from an indictment on second-year pro Daniel Bellinger.

In fact, the Giants’ remain high on their 2021 fourth-round pick but Waller’s arrival can allow the youngster to develop at a more normal pace rather than the way he was overextended atop a depth chart rounded out by waiver-wire additions and practice-squad call-ups.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll is a former tight ends coach for Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots, whose offensive schemes often made use of packages with two-tight-end formations.