It’s abundantly clear that the New York Giants have found their quarterback of the future. After the Daniel Jones experiment crashed and burned after six mostly below-average seasons, it looks like Jaxson Dart has what it takes to bring Big Blue back to the playoffs.
The first-round pick went 14-16 for 137 yards and totaled two touchdowns against the Jets on Saturday, and has completed 74.3% of his passes across two preseason games. Fans criticized Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll for moving back into the first round to select the 22-year-old, but now he’s taking the NFL by storm with a strong summer as he pushes for playing time in his rookie season.
And Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes that Dart has a real opportunity to start games over Russell Wilson this season:
“Despite Dart's impressive play in two exhibition games, Wilson will open the season under center, but he's going to finish it on the sideline with a clipboard in his hand,” wrote Moton. “Wilson should be good enough to keep the Giants competitive, but once the losses pile up, the team will likely take a look at its future quarterback.”
New York’s schedule could be what Jaxson Dart needs to become the full-time starter
Moton pointed to New York’s 0-6 division record and 32nd-ranked schedule in potential catalysts for a quarterback change. The Ole Miss standout will still have to fend off incumbent starter Russell Wilson and fellow backup Jameis Winston.
Daboll has said on multiple occasions that the team intends to be patient with the 22-year-old, unlike the Bills did with Josh Allen. Even last season, teams like the Patriots and Falcons didn’t rush rookies Drake Maye and Michael Penix Jr. into starting roles, and those decisions ultimately paid off.
The G-Men are slated to face two of the league’s most difficult divisions this season, as they will face off with the AFC West and NFC North, as well as the traditional six NFC East matchups that saw Big Blue go 0-6 in 2024.
If New York stumbles out of the gate like some fans expect, the door will be open for Dart to start sooner than originally anticipated. Moton even said he expects the All-SEC quarterback to be starting by the Giants’ Week 14 bye.
Whether Dart takes the reins sooner or later, his early performances have already made one thing clear: the keys to the future under center remain firmly in his hands, and fans are finally starting to see why that is.