New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart rallied the fanbase in his rookie season with his electric (and often chaotic) play. Despite all of the roster and staff turnover that the franchise has already endured in 2026, it looks like the G-Men have found their quarterback of the future.
While Dart was inconsistent as a rookie, fans and analysts are hoping to see him take a step forward in 2026. How big a step it will be is still up for debate, with some expecting a breakout season for the second-year QB.
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic recently broke down Dart's rookie season, seeking answers on how effective New York's quarterback actually was. His answer took the young QB's breakout hype to a new level.
Giants' Jaxson Dart has everything he needs for a 2026 breakout
Baumgardner's verdict will leave Giants fans thrilled about their quarterback. He said, "Health permitting, I expect a sizable jump from Dart, who has the ability to finally give the Giants the franchise QB for whom they’ve been searching."
The analyst didn't hide from Dart's deficiencies. He pointed out that the quarterback puts himself in harm's way far too often and that he can tend to hold onto the ball for too long. But there are more positives than negatives to be found when looking back at the tape.
Dart is more accurate than he gets credit for and has enough athleticism to give defensive coordinators nightmares. While he may need to be reined in a bit, he has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback.
Baumgardner acknowledged the QB's growing hype, but couldn't bring himself to disagree with it. He said, "There’s an awful lot of hype around Dart right now. Although at least part of that comes from a starved Giants fan base, a big part of me wants to buy in on all of it."
So, what does a breakout actually look like for Dart in 2026?
The answer comes on the field more than it does in the stat sheet. The young quarterback needs to take a step forward in his strongest areas from last season (accuracy and dynamic running) and taper off some of his more troublesome tendencies.
We're not here to pour cold water on the Dart hype. He showed enough in his rookie season for fans to be fully bought in. Hopefully, he can solidify himself as Big Blue's franchise quarterback in 2026.
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