General manager Jerry Reese said he did expect Jake Ballard to clear waivers before the Patriots scooped up the injured tight end.

"Yes, we thought that he would clear," Reese said in an interview on SiriusXM NFL radio. "It's rare but it’s not the first time something like that has happened. It's disappointing for us that we didn't get him back. He did a tremendous job for us and we hope he gets well soon and that he can finish his career, whether it’s with New England or whatever team he ends up with. It was disappointing, but that does happen, every blue moon."

"It happens all the time but it’s rare that somebody takes a guy under these conditions off the waiver wire but it happened and we wish Jake all the best," he added.

When asked by radio hosts Bob Papa and Amani Toomer if he could explain the course of action taken with Ballard, Reese declined saying it was irrelevant now.

"It's really pointless for me at this point to try to explain it," Reese said.

Reese said there is no bad blood between the Giants and Patriots over the move.

"No, absolutely not," Reese said. "There is no reason for us to have hard feelings about it. When you put a guy on the wire, he's free game for anybody. There are no hard feelings for us. They think that they can salvage the situation, so we will see what happens. We only wish the best for Jake."