What does a playoff-starved franchise in the heart of New York crave more than anything? Consistency at quarterback, and a head coach willing to gamble for a fast start in a league with zero patience for sluggish Septembers. One look at Giants camp right now and you’ll hear the insiders buzzing: “One of Wilson’s better of the summer,” as noted by Connor Hughes, after a jaw-dropping throw to rookie Theo Johnson with cornerback Tae Banks draped all over him. Moments like that, the ball squeezed into a closing window, Johnson shaking free for a chunk gain, etched hope onto the faces of a fan base desperate for genuine sparks under center. Yet as fans filled the stands for their last open look before the preseason opener in Buffalo, a different storyline tugged beneath the surface.

Brian Daboll, weathered by two disastrous season openers under his command (a 40-0 humiliation to Dallas in 2023, 28-6 versus the Vikings in 2024), remains cryptic about his exact playing time plan for Saturday. “There’s no substitute for playing the game,” Daboll insisted to the media, defending his slow-evolving camp philosophy. But will that mantra translate into live reps for his projected offensive core, especially with the starters historically wrapped in bubble wrap through much of prior August?

This preseason presents a challenge: Week after week in camp, Russell Wilson has carried himself as QB1, a proven Super Bowl winner who’s also shown just enough vertical juice (even at age 36) to push the Giants’ passing attack back into relevance. Still, the whispers are real. Daboll has yet to name his preseason starter, fueling debate about whether Wilson, Jameis Winston, or rookie Jaxson Dart will command the offense on Saturday.

“Really nice throw here at Giants camp from Russell Wilson to Theo Johnson. Tae Banks was all over him. Perfect throw, Johnson then shook off Banks for a big gain,” Hughes reported, highlighting Wilson’s camp highs even against blanket coverage. But the stakes feel heightened: the Giants have lost their past two openers by a combined 68-6. A strong preseason showing is less about box-score stats and more about blowing away the September curse; Daboll knows the optics count.

Make no mistake, Wilson is “the clear starter,” as Daboll made clear on Day 1: “These guys will be out here competing but Russ is our starter,” he told ESPN. Still, Wilson’s camp performance, a blend of highlight deep balls, like the dime to Malik Nabers, but also head-scratching turnovers, keeps the speculation alive. Six interceptions in two weeks have the New York safety room licking its chops, and each mistake draws QB2 Jaxson Dart in camp, the “fearless” rookie with all the arm talent and none of the NFL experience a little closer to center stage.

“It’s wrestling, you know that fan base—who cares who they boo?” Giants insider Brandon London joked after Wilson caught some WWE-style heat at MetLife, but he was dead serious about the new hierarchy: “No battle. There’s no competition. Russell Wilson has been named QB1…he is the leader. He’s going to be a captain of this team.”

Every move from here matters. The Giants could use the opener to settle more than just old preseason habits; they’re also examining if high-pedigree rookie Dart and trusted veteran Winston can handle meaningful reps. Daboll’s holding his cards close, but the urgency is palpable: “Whatever Daboll decides, he has to hope he discovers a formula that will lead to different results early in the season.”

Past evidence suggests top players see one or two quarters in the preseason before the staff prioritizes health for Week 1. The presence of joint practices with the Jets next week and a compressed schedule before New England mean plenty of moving parts, especially for the backup QB rotation and key offensive weapons still building chemistry.

Giants’ quarterback rotation raises questions despite Wilson’s veteran edge

While Russell Wilson’s leadership and command are the public-facing narrative, the real chess game this August comes on the depth chart below him. The Giants, for the first time in Daboll’s tenure, have real intrigue at No. 2 and No. 3: rookie Jaxson Dart and veteran Jameis Winston have traded QB2 reps throughout camp. Not only has Dart snagged extra snaps with the second team contrary to his official QB3 listing, but the staff is reportedly considering a rotation that could see Dart handling extended action in the second or third preseason contests, while Winston provides the insurance policy should the veteran be called on suddenly if Wilson falters or is injured.

Daboll and GM Joe Schoen have played this like the Bills did with Josh Allen, but with far more talent in the room. Tommy DeVito, the New Jersey native, rounds out the depth and, by all accounts, is ticketed for mop-up duty during the exhibition stretch; his third-team reps could just as easily have gone to either Dart or Winston if the pecking order were completely set. For Dart, the challenge is real: show enough command and poise to validate his first-round selection, but avoid the perils of preseason chaos behind shaky protection and a carousel of skill position backups.

As camp winds down and preseason kicks into high gear, all eyes will be on Daboll’s final call: who gets the nod on Saturday, and for how long? Each snap, each series is a test, not just for the quarterbacks, but for a franchise cut deep by back-to-back autumn letdowns. Whether Wilson’s arm still has enough left to erase the memory of recent opening debacles remains to be seen, but the window for experimentation is closing fast.

The Giants’ season may not be won in August, but momentum or malaise almost always starts there. And with Daboll refusing to tip his hand, fans and rivals alike are left to wonder: will New York cling to the tried and true, or take the preseason plunge in pursuit of the fast start that’s eluded them for too long?