ESPN Makes Bold Prediction Regarding NY Giants' Quarterback Situation

NY Giants head coach Brian Daboll has stated that it will be Russell Wilson as the team’s starter, which means that first-round selection Jaxson Dart will begin his rookie campaign as the No. 3 quarterback behind Wilson and backup Jameis Winston.

However, there are those such as ESPN’s Dan Graziano who believe Dart could see action sooner rather than later.

“Every year, it seems there's at least one team telling us it wants to sit its rookie quarterback as long as possible -- all year if necessary,” Grazian said. “The Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to make double sure they had capable veteran options while Dart developed into an NFL-ready starter.

“But the reality is, it rarely works out.”

Graziano went on to cite the Patriots, who started the season with veteran Jacoby Brissett before yielding to Drake Maye, and the Falcons, who, after signing Kirk Cousins to a hefty four-year deal, flipped the switch to Michael Penix for the final three games of the season. 

Even the Giants have a history of not waiting to unveil their first-round rookie quarterbacks. 

They did so with Phil Simms in 1979 five games into the season, continuing the trend with Eli Manning, who took over for Kurt Warner by Week 11, and then again with Daniel Jones, who replaced Manning as the starter three games into the 2019 season.

Although there is a precedent in place, the Giants are in no rush to uphold it with Dart simply because of his status. The plan for Dart is to let him work through some of the rough spots in his game and develop organically. 

Once he is ready to go in, he will, but probably not before he leapfrogs over Winston as the No. 2 quarterback to where Dart now lands in a position where he can get live game reps if the situation permits.

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Dart has shown promise so far 

This spring, Dart has seen snaps mostly with the two’s, with an occasional sprinkling of snaps with the starters mixed in. Overall, he has looked good, but it is worth noting that he didn’t face a live pass rush. 

Sometimes, when a young quarterback faces that kind of situation, he doesn’t quite develop a feel for the pass rush and an accurate internal timer on when to hold the ball or get rid of it. 

However, Daboll said he has been pleased with the progress Dart has shown.  

"He's done excellent picking up information," Daboll said earlier this spring. "He's smart, aggressive with the football, which I like. 

“And then the true test will be once we start with live hitting and preseason games and things like that. He's progressed since he's been here."

The talent is there for Dart. Coming out of Ole Miss, he led the SEC with 4,279 yards and a 69.3% completion rate. He also added 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions. 

There are still some things he needs to work on, but as he becomes more comfortable with the offense, time will tell just how ready he will be to take over.  

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