Jaxson Dart hasn’t even made it to his first NFL preseason snap, and he’s already become the subject of offseason quarterback discourse the New York Giants haven’t seen since the Daniel Jones “prove-it year” carousel started spinning in 2022.
All it took was one quote. Former Ole Miss teammate and LA Chargers rookie Tre Harris told the Up & Adams podcast that Dart “should really have the job” as the Giants’ Week 1 starter. Bold, for sure. Also... completely off-script from what head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen have been hammering home since they traded back into the first to get him.
Related: Jaxson Dart’s breakout buzz just got a serious vote of confidence
The quote predictably garnered attention, some of which came from Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, who labeled the Week 1 buzz around Dart a sell. And while Giants fans love and welcome the hype around their rookie QB, the entire premise of Dart leapfrogging Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston before September seems like a stretch based on literally everything else that's been said and done.
Dart will get his chance eventually, but the Giants have a plan
Knox put it best:
“Harris adding to his former teammate’s hype machine is unsurprising, and Giants fans have every reason to take his comments as a positive. However, it’s tough to believe Dart will start ahead of Wilson and Winston to begin the year.
The Giants’ plan all along was to use Wilson and/or Winston as a bridge to their rookie quarterback. That would allow their young signal-caller to learn from the sideline before being thrust into action. Because of Dart’s lack of experience in a pro-style offense and propensity to buckle under pressure, New York should stick with that plan.
New York may want to get a look at Dart at some point this season, but building his base as a pocket passer and maintaining his confidence should be more important than getting him on the field early.”
It’s hard to argue with his analysis. Dart has real tools and an aura to him, but that doesn’t mean the Week 1 door should fly wide open just because a former teammate said so. There's an obvious and intentional plan in place—one that Harris wasn't a part of.
If Dart wants to take the starting job, he’s going to have to force the issue with his play on the field. That starts with a top-to-bottom impressive training camp, quality preseason reps, and proving he’s more game-ready than anybody originally thought when he was drafted. That's a heavy lift, but not impossible. If Dart's time at Ole Miss taught us anything, it's that he's an ultra-competitor and you should never count him out.
It’s nice when a former teammate vouches for you, but it’ll be up to Dart to make the decision tough. For now, his job is to learn the offense, not run it. At least not yet.