Jaxson Dart may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the New York Giants certainly hold him in high regard. New Giants head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen are wasting no time giving Dart the weapons he needs in order to develop and be successful.
In the early goings of NFL free agency and the legal tampering period, the Giants agreed to a 3-year deal with free agent tight end Isaiah Likely. It only makes sense for Harbaugh to bring in one of his former Ravens, especially in light of accelerating Dart's ascension.
Likely's contract is reportedly for a whopping $40 million, but has the potential to grow upwards of $47.5 million, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
As one of the top available free agents in this year's crop, Likely now becomes a top target for Dart in 2026 and beyond. And, at the same time, that contract says one thing and one thing only, right away: New York is all-in on their quarterback.
Isaiah Likely's arrival gives Jaxson Dart exactly what he needs to subdue his critics
As a rookie, Dart had to play most of his games without star wide receiver Malik Nabers. Now, with Nabers getting healthy and coming back from a torn ACL, Dart gets his guy back. But, he'll also have one of the better, up-and-coming tight ends in the game as well, in Likely.
One of the bigger critiques on Dart, during his rookie campaign, had to do with his aggressive style and willingness to take hits, even when they could have been prevented.
You might assume Dart will eventually learn to better protect himself, especially knowing Harbaugh is in town now, but getting Likely will only help him in this quest.
What is a quarterback's best friend and security blanket in times of trouble? Easy: having weapons who excel and get open in the intermediate areas. That's where Dart is going to benefit the most from having Likely on his side.
Likely is essentially just a bigger receiver, but his ability not only to run routes but find creases is going to help Dart get rid of the football in situations where he might otherwise take off and run when he shouldn't, thus further risking injury.
The Giants are paying Likely as the NFL's third-highest paid tight end, now, so there is no doubt Dart is going to use him. There's also no doubt about the Giants being committed to their quarterback, which is something that's been quietly questioned over the past few months.
Let me clear it up for those critics or folks who might be buying into the narrative: the Giants are in on Dart. Harbaugh was a massive sign. Likely was a massive sign. If you don't get it now, you might never.