Giants OC opens up about QB Jaxson Dart's 'swagger' ahead of first NFL start

From the opening day of training camp through the time that rookie Jaxson Dart became the New York Giants' starting quarterback this week, numerous Giants players have praised Dart's "aura" and "moxie" that ideally will help him play well when the 0-3 Giants host the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday. 

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Giants offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka was asked what he's seen from Dart during meetings and practices. 

Jaxson Dart has 'what you want in a quarterback'

"That's what you want in a quarterback," Kafka said about Dart's personality, as shared by the Giants' website. "Swagger, confidence, I think they're kind of one and the same. How you want to define it, I just think Jaxson has that." 

Kafka previously served as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, who spent the bulk of his rookie season sitting behind Alex Smith. That experience seemingly helped convince Kafka that Dart should develop as a backup through at least a significant portion of the fall. 

Thus, it's fair to wonder if Kafka truly believes Dart is ready to serve as the full-time replacement for veteran Russell Wilson so early into the ongoing campaign. 

"You just see it on a daily basis," Kafka said when asked why he thinks now is the right time for the Giants to turn to Dart. "The preparation, you saw him in the meeting rooms, you see him on the practice field doing the scout team reps, and you can really take a lot from that, just how he's operating as a leader on the team and in the huddle. You've obviously got to go out there and play. He did it in the preseason. Now it's the regular season, so every single level, things start speeding up and ramping up for him. But he's been very productive as a player, and I'm excited to go see him go out there and roll it." 

In total, Dart completed 32 of 47 passes for 372 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions over New York's three preseason contests. He also rushed for 52 yards and a score on six carries. 

How Russell Wilson is handling benching

Wilson has insisted he won't ask to be traded or released after being relegated to QB2 duties. On Thursday, Kafka said that Wilson "has been nothing but a pro" through this process. 

"It's never easy to get in that situation," Kafka added during his comments about Wilson. "But he's a great teammate. He's a captain of our team, and the leadership he possesses, it feeds through the rest of the team. So, he's done a really good job with managing that, handling that. He's a competitor. I know he wants to be out there. But I know he's also going to help the team and do what's best for the team."

History shows that Wilson could be one play away from taking the field at MetLife Stadium this Sunday. For now, it sounds like he's doing everything he can to prepare Dart for what likely will be a challenging afternoon. 

As of Friday morning, ESPN BET had the winless Giants as 6.5-point home underdogs against the Chargers.