The New York Giants didn’t stumble into their quarterback situation. This wasn’t blind luck or a panic move for the sake of change. From the moment they signed Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, it was clear what the plan was. Both veterans were brought in to create a soft landing for whichever rookie Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
That rookie turned out to be Jaxson Dart, whom the G-Men traded back into the first round to grab with the 25th overall pick. And for now, the setup is working exactly as planned. Wilson is the projected starter, Winston is insurance, and Dart is being developed for the future. No one is jumping the gun, and no one should be. No one should be getting ahead of themselves...
Related: Jaxson Dart didn’t wait for training camp to go viral with jaw-dropping throw
But there’s a reason the rookie has been drawing attention. Dart has done well everywhere since he was drafted. He looked sharp at OTAs, he’s handled the media glare, and he’s already built some buzz around camp before veterans even reported. None of this shifts the gameplan. It just makes it harder to ignore what might be developing in the shadows.
Training camp is Dart’s chance to close the gap on the QB1 job
Daboll already named Wilson the Week 1 starter. That was never really up for debate. The whole purpose of bringing him in was to avoid throwing a 22-year-old right into the fire. Dart was always going to be a developmental player, not a Day 1 starter. But when a developmental player starts checking boxes earlier than expected, it’s worth paying attention.
This camp is important for Dart. It’s not exactly about beating out Wilson or earning a starting job on a timeline that doesn’t make sense. It’s about pushing his own development forward. If he can string together good reps, hold his own in live drills, and show he’s more pro-ready than the pre-draft labels suggested, then the Giants have something real on their hands.
And in the words of Damian Parson from Bleacher Report, who listed Dart as a top-five rookie to gain from training camp:
“If Dart performs at a high enough level, the veteran quarterbacks’ leashes will be shorter than expected. Let them deal with the gauntlet on their schedule early in the season. Give Dart more time to sit, learn and grow before stepping on the field.
Dart’s training camp will either speed up his timeline to play meaningful snaps or reinforce that he needs time adjusting to the pros.”
More Jaxson Dart: Jaxson Dart’s breakout buzz just got a serious vote of confidence
There’s no reason to rush any of this. Big Blue already made that mistake with Daniel Jones, and it essentially cost them six years. This time, the structure is in place. Dart doesn’t need to win the job right now. He just needs to compete well enough to stay in the picture as the season unfolds.
If Wilson holds his own and the team starts strong, the plan stays intact. But if things spiral early and Dart is showing signs of real growth, the conversation changes. That’s why training camp matters for him more than anyone else on this roster. New York finally has a plan, and Dart gets the first real shot to show they might actually be onto something. Fingers crossed.