Head coach Brian Daboll and the New York Giants love to stay quiet with their quarterback plans... really all of the plans, but every now and then, they tip their hand. And when the team’s first unofficial depth chart of the regular season dropped, it spoke louder than anything Daboll has muttered into a microphone all summer. Jaxson Dart, the rookie quarterback sensation, is now the No. 2 quarterback.
Giants dropped their unofficial depth chart a few moments ago. Jaxson Dart is listed as QB2, Jameis Winston QB3.
— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) September 2, 2025
Cor'Dale Flott/Deonte Banks are both listed as CB2 opposite Paulson Adebo
Andrew Thomas is listed as a starter at LT but we will see his status as the week unfolds
Back in mid-summer, Dart was listed at QB3 behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, a placement that seemed to align with what fans knew. The rookie was meant to learn from the sideline while the veterans handled the heavy lifting. Except Dart decided to make training camp and preseason his personal highlight reel, and the G-Men couldn’t afford to ignore what he put on tape.
It’s not an official coronation, but it's definitely a statement. A climb from QB3 to QB2 isn’t just a reshuffling of names — it’s a clear nod that Dart is closer to starting than anyone ever anticipated. For a fanbase hungry for a franchise QB, this depth chart is about as loud a whisper as you’ll get from Daboll and Joe Schoen.
Jaxson Dart’s jump to QB2 puts the heat on Russell Wilson
Wilson enters the season as the unquestioned starter, but his hold on the job feels more fragile by the minute. Big Blue didn’t spend a first-round pick on Dart to let him rot in sweats all year. If Wilson struggles through September, the coaching staff has already signaled who’s next in line.
For Winston, the drop to QB3 is telling. He was brought in as a steady veteran presence, but the Giants moving Dart ahead of him shows where their priorities lie. Winston’s role now looks more like mentor and locker-room presence than insurance policy, which only clears Dart’s path further.
Meanwhile, Dart’s preseason was electric, the kind of three-game stretch that flipped skepticism into tangible hype. The way he commanded the huddle, pushed the ball downfield, and carried himself under pressure gave Giants fans a glimpse of something they’ve been desperate to see — a quarterback who actually looks the part. That impression clearly resonated inside the building too. QB2 isn’t QB1, but with Dart now sitting one snap away, it feels a whole lot less hypothetical.
I'm willing to bet Dabs will downplay it publicly - if he entertains it at all — but everyone paying attention knows better. Dart is closing in, and this depth chart is the first official warning sign that the future is arriving faster than expected. And that's awesome.
An unofficial QB2 announcement might not feel like breaking news, but for Giants fans, it’s a breadcrumb trail worth following. The next step isn’t far away.