Entering the 2025 season, there is one thing on every New York Giants fan's mind this season: When will Jaxson Dart make his NFL debut?
Despite signing Russell Wilson to a one-year deal and Jameis Winston to a two-year deal during the offseason, the G-Men shocked the world when they traded up in the draft to select Dart with the 25th overall pick. After six mediocre years with Daniel Jones at the helm, there has been a ton of excitement surrounding Dart—thanks to the solid collegiate career he put together at Ole Miss and the clear upside he brings as a talent.
Even though Brian Daboll has already stated Wilson will be New York's starting quarterback on opening day, fans would certainly love to see Dart sooner rather than later in the hopes he can be their franchise signal-caller. But when would an ideal time be for his first start?
Giants expected to hand keys to Dart after season slips away
In an article for Giants on SI, Alex House predicted that Big Blue’s Week 11 matchup against the Green Bay Packers will be the game when Dart makes his highly anticipated debut. House's analysis centers around how far back the Giants are in the NFC East late in the season, stating:
"Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that a QB change will be made if and when New York falls behind in the NFC standings," House wrote.
"Losing week after week would force Giants management to seek co-owner John Mara's approval via another way. An impressive showing by a rookie signal-caller might do the trick."
With the Giants facing the NFL’s toughest strength of schedule, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they have another rough season on their hands. If the G-Men are out of the playoff picture by Week 11, that could be the perfect time for Dart to get his first taste of NFL action.
New York is counting on Dart to pan out, and at some point during the season, he’s going to have to start in live games. While Wilson brings far more upside than what the Giants have had at quarterback in recent years, he’s not the future. And if the Giants are nowhere near a playoff spot by Week 11 or so, that seems like the right time to suit Dart up.