NY Giants 2025 Training Camp Preview: Is the Quarterback Situation Better?

In watching the New York Giants’ offseason unfold, it was rather interesting that of all the positions on the offensive side of the ball, general manager Joe Schoen poured the most resources into the quarterback room.

Not that he had a choice after Daniel Jones, whom the team had hoped would be their franchise quarterback for the next decade plus, didn’t work out. With the Giants having had to move on from Jones midway through last season, the handwriting was on the wall for the position.

The problem for the Giants, though, is that their plan to rebuild the quarterback room is not necessarily going to be completed in one season, unlike how Washington with Jayden Daniels or New England with Drake Maye were able to do.

Although the Giants traded up to select Jaxson Dart from a very weak quarterback class, it’s going to take at least a year before the Giants can truly assess if they made the right call.

Thus far, the signs are pointing in the right direction based on what Dart showed in the spring. However, it must be remembered that what he showed was in a controlled environment, and there is still much more he needs to demonstrate to the coaching staff before they turn him loose.

Until then, it’s hoped that in veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, this Giants offense, which has been missing the deep ball, can finally develop into the explosive unit that head coach Brian Daboll is believed to have envisioned when he was hired to rejuvenate the team from its nearly decade-long struggles.

Rostered Players

Russell Wilson: After failing to land Matthew Stafford in a trade with the Rams and with Aaron Rodgers never really much of an option, the Giants pivoted to Wilson, with whom the briefly flirted last year until Wilson, wanting a chance to compete for a job, was told he wasn’t going to get it because of the organization’s commitment to Daniel Jones. 

This year, Wilson doesn't need to worry about having to compete for a starting job as he’s already been penciled in for the role. However, there are some aspects of his game that, admittedly, aren’t quite the same as his prime days with Seattle, which will need to be smoothed over.

The biggest issue is speeding up his release of the ball. Last season, Wilson accounted for 22.4% of the pressures he faced, which was more than any of the Giants’ four rostered quarterbacks (Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle) by a wide margin. 

The year prior, when he was with Denver, Wilson would have again led all Giants quarterbacks in allowed pressures by a wide margin, finishing with a 24.3% pressure rate allowed.

The good news is that dating back to the 2021 season, Wilson has only thrown double-digit interceptions once, in 2022, his first year in Denver, and he has averaged just over 21 touchdowns thrown in that same four-season span. If he can continue those trends, the Giants' offense might just finally come alive.

Jameis Winston: Winston, the first quarterback added to the roster from the outside, was brought in strictly to be the backup signal caller and contribute toward the development of Jaxson Dart. 

Let’s take the quarterback part first. Winston has a cannon for an arm and is not afraid to cuck the ball down the field. Last season, he completed 12 of 34 deep pass attempts (35.5%) of 20+ air yards for 449 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions, with all 12 of those completions going for first downs. 

As for the mentor part, the Giants likely planned it so that Winston can stand alongside Dart during games this year to discuss what’s unfolding.

Come next year, if Dart gets the starting assignment as is expected to be the case, he will have some continuity in having a mentor on the sideline during the game to help him along when head coach Brian Daboll, who is leading the Dart developmental project, is tied up with his game management duties.

Jaxson Dart: All eyes will be on the rookie this summer, where he’s likely to get a lot of opportunities both in practice and in preseason games, both of which will be used by the coaches to ascertain where he is in his development. 

Dart is a quick learner whose growing confidence wasn’t hard to miss each day in the spring. However, the true test will come when he faces a live pass rush and the risk of being hit, two things that won’t happen until he gets live reps. 

Tommy DeVito: DeVito is the hometown hero who has shown that the game isn’t too big for him when his number gets called. However, unfortunately for him, it was telling that the Giants' coaches pulled DeVito from the starting lineup both in 2023 and last year in favor of a more seasoned veteran. 

Now that the Giants have Dart on the roster, it’s hard to envision the team keeping four quarterbacks even if they look to go three on the 53-man roster and DeVito on the practice squad.