The Russell Wilson-New York Giants era is over before it ever truly began. Three games with the once-elite and now washed-up veteran quarterback felt like an eternity. It didn't take much for head coach Brian Daboll to pull the rip cord on this forgetful experiment and pivot to first-round rookie Jaxson Dart.
Daboll has officially and predictably decided to hand the keys to the Giants' offense (and his job) to Dart. This year's No. 25 overall selection will make his first NFL start in the team's Week 4 interconference clash with the Los Angeles Chargers. It's a momentous occasion on multiple levels, especially for the former.
Big Blue Nation is well aware of this, but Daboll has ridden the quarterback carousel since the Giants hired him in 2022. Dart "holds the distinction of truly being [his] first QB of choice," as Grant Gordon of NFL.com outlined. While the timing is far from ideal, New York's sideline general presumably finds solace in the news.
Brian Daboll finally gets chance to hand-pick QB after benching Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart
Dart gives Daboll at least some control over his destiny. It may be too little too late for a regime sitting on a scalding hot seat. Nevertheless, at least the 2022 Coach of the Year finally has a handpicked signal-caller, whether that saves him from getting fired or not.
Of course, Daboll probably would've preferred to not have any controversy under center, because that would mean Wilson is working and the G-Men are competitive. Yet, after "[inheriting]" current Indianapolis Colts passer Daniel Jones and a myriad of backups/veteran bridge options, having a preferred choice sounds incredibly refreshing. It's like finally being old enough to order your favorite ice cream flavor.
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From Jones to journeymen like Tyrod Taylor and Drew Lock, plus former fan favorite Tommy "Cutlets" DeVito, things haven't been great, to say the least. It's been a crapshoot for Daboll at the most important position in football, putting him at a severe disadvantage from the jump. It remains to be seen if Dart is any better than the underwhelming names mentioned, though that's neither here nor there to some degree.
Considering the writing may already be on the wall for the existing brain trust, Dart may just be a last-ditch effort to avoid getting canned. If that's the case and the Giants choose to go in a different direction, at least Daboll can say he went out on his terms.