Giants Plan To Start QB Jaxson Dart At Third String But Could Move Him Up Quickly

Vacchiano notes both Giants HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen are under some pressure to generate better results and win more games in 2025, which led to them signing both Wilson and Winston to raise the floor for the offense and allow Dart time to develop. 

However, Dart was drafted to be the quarterback of the future and Vacchiano notes Daboll will have to balance getting Wilson and Winston the snaps they need in practice to be ready to perform at a high level while also getting Dart more reps than third-string quarterbacks usually have access to. 

Citing a source, Vacchiano says Daboll plans to “sprinkle in” reps for Dart during practice, both in camp and during the season, with the goal of keeping Dart invested in every rep not knowing when he might be asked to step in. He also plans to work with Dart in post-practice sessions with the coaching staff. 

“He’s got the makings of a good quarterback, and there’s a long way to go,” Daboll said earlier this spring. “There’s a developmental process that he’s going to have to go through. Again, these offenses are not easy to learn, and the execution has to be at a high level.”

Vacchiano adds Dart will likely get extensive playing time during the preseason, as Wilson and Winston are established veterans who need those reps less. 

A team source also stressed to Vacchiano that if Dart shows an early aptitude for more, there is flexibility to move him up the depth chart, supplanting Winston as the backup and possibly even Wilson as the starter at some point. Once the Giants are eliminated from playoff contention, the odds of Dart getting the starting nod go up significantly as well. 

Vacchiano concludes that while the goal is for Dart to sit and learn for most of the season, the job security of Daboll and Schoen is tied to how much progress the rookie shows and how quickly. 

Dart, 21, was a four-star recruit ranked as the No. 2 player in Utah and the No. 13 overall QB in the 2021 recruiting class. He committed to USC in December 2020 and spent one year there before entering the transfer portal. He committed to Ole Miss and spent the next three seasons there.

The Giants used the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Dart. He’s projected to sign a four-year, $16,954,982 contract that includes a $8,970,895 signing bonus. The contract includes a fifth-year option for the team to pick up in 2028.

In his collegiate career, Dart appeared in 45 games over four seasons and completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 11,970 yards, 81 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also rushed 393 times for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

We’ll have more on the Giants quarterback situation as the news is available.