The New York Giants Should NOT Rush Jaxson Dart

The Giants signed former Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson over the offseason. He was brought in to mentor Dart and to bring a much-needed veteran presence to an underperforming offense.

The offensive line struggled in both run blocking and pass blocking. Wilson led the team with 44 rush yards on eight attempts. The running back trio of Tyrone Tracy Jr., Cam Skattebo, and Devin Singletary rushed for a measly 30 total yards. They need to find a groove before the team is put on Dart’s shoulders. 

The run game was nonexistent, and that’s a recipe for failure, no matter who is at QB. The offense made it inside Washington’s five-yard line on two separate drives and went straight to passing the ball. All they had to show for it was a single field goal.

It’s easy to forget that Wilson is a temporary placeholder for Dart. The veteran was pressured on 19 of his 45 dropbacks, roughly 42%. He was also sacked twice and hit six times. The Giants should not put their future franchise QB behind that line.

Dart Is Ready, The Giants Are Not

Dart was a stud in his preseason run. Through three games with limited playing time, he completed 32 out of 47 passes for 372 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also tacked on 52 rushing yards on six attempts, with another score on the ground.

Dart is ready to lead an NFL offense. He outplayed every other rookie QB in the preseason and showed he can handle the mental challenges of the game. Head coach Brian Daboll threw tests at him through the preseason, and he passed with flying colors. 

This is a case where the team isn’t ready for its future. The Giants’ receivers weren’t overly impressive on Sunday. Veteran Darius Slayton didn’t make a single catch, Theo Johnson looked nothing like he did in his rookie year, and Jalin Hyatt is still not even incorporated into the game plan.

Dart isn’t going to succeed if the playcalling isn’t there. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is back to calling the game on the sidelines, but he struggled to put anything together. He often resorted to passing the ball simply because they couldn’t establish the run.

Dart alone cannot fix this offense. They need to work out the kinks and establish some better schemes, as well as improve their run game.

The Defense Needs To Grow

The Giants’ defense was once again a bright spot, but they weren’t tremendous. It’s Week 1, and they’ll likely grow into a dominant unit, but the secondary looked as bad as it did in 2024. Deebo Samuel caught seven passes for 77 yards and had a 19-yard rushing touchdown. 

The Giants had two receivers go for over 20 yards, while Washington had six. The secondary was burned toast out there, and after Micah McFadden went down with an early injury, the linebacker group looked lost.

The defensive front was the bright spot here, namely Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns. Burns logged two sacks on Jayden Daniels, while Carter and Thiboudeaux split one. They were effective in pressuring Daniels, but when he got the ball out, the rest of the defense couldn’t keep up.

New York’s defense is loaded with talent, and it can be a destructive force. They need to get the chemistry right. Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo are new additions to the secondary. Carter and Darius Alexander are rookies still finding their fit with the team.

Dart cannot lead this team to victory if the defense is giving up 233 pass yards and 220 rushing yards. 

End Of My Giants Rant

Jaxson Dart is the future of the Giants, but he can’t be thrown to the wolves in his rookie year. The Giants’ next three games are against the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Los Angeles Chargers. They have an impossible schedule in 2025, and making a playoff push isn’t a realistic expectation.

The hits are going to keep coming, but we need to stay patient. Let the team find its chemistry, and let Dart learn. Sitting behind a veteran and watching live NFL defenses in person is good for a rookie. He should not be leading this offense in its current iteration.

Dart will get his time in the spotlight, maybe as soon as next week. Daboll said he had packages to get the rookie incorporated, and the plan should stay steady. Losing patience and acting impulsively could lead to even bigger problems. The Giants did that with Daniel Jones, and we all know how that turned out.