The New York Giants are impressed with what they have seen from Jaxson Dart leading up to the 2025 season, and there is a chance the rookie quarterback will be more than just a backup in Sunday’s season-opening game against the Washington Commanders.
The Giants have put together a package of plays for Dart that they could utilize in Week 1, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media.
Dart went 32/47 for 372 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason. Rapoport and Garafolo note that Brian Daboll and the Giants head coach’s staff are confident that Dart is ready for regular-season NFL action.
The Giants are committed to Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback, but Daboll is squarely on the hot seat in his fourth season with the team. There has already been talk that Wilson could lose his job to Dart fairly quickly if the 36-year-old were to struggle early on in the year.
Dart was impressive enough in training camp and the preseason to beat out Jameis Winston for the Giants’ No. 2 quarterback job. While Wilson undoubtedly signed with the Giants because he had a clear path to the starting job, he will be under plenty of pressure to play well — both internally and from fans.
The Giants traded up to draft Dart, and Daboll has gone out of his way to praise the former Ole Miss star. It would not be a surprise if we see Dart on the field in some capacity even while Wilson is New York’s starter.