The coach in command, Brian Daboll, made his stance pretty clear when he said, “These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter.” Well, he isn’t unconventional. Oftentimes in history, a veteran, especially one like Russell Wilson, is preferred over rookies. But the rookie New York Giants have isn’t ordinary. Many even believe Jaxson Dart is the better option. But the veteran wasn’t insecure about losing the position, as the head coach has remained firm on avoiding quarterback controversy. Yet, an insider believes his days might be numbered. 

Having Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Tommy DeVito on the roster, the Giants had no plans to hand over the starting role to the rookie they drafted in the first round. The reason? They didn’t want to rush in, believing, “there’s some real benefits from sitting and learning specifically from some of the guys in the room that have the experience that they have,” GM Joe Schoen noted. So the starting role landed in the lap of the ten-time Pro Bowler. Unfortunately, it immediately met with backlash, with some experts believing it’s a road to hell. Not so dramatically, of course! But Mike Tannenbaum did call Wilson “an athletically diminished player.”

Now the story gets an interesting twist as insider Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated claimed Dart has an actual chance of making it to the field. “Something could happen in practice that showcases Dart’s superiority to Russell Wilson, and the change could be made organically,” he wrote, which Tannenbaum has full confidence in. If Daboll does end up making the move, Orr believes there’s “two logical places to drop Dart into the 2025 season.” 

First, in the road game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5—but that might be too soon. The next second option? After New York’s bye week following Week 14. Now that might actually work. Because not only would this give Daboll time to adjust strategies (if the Wilson plan didn’t work), but it would also mentally prepare the rookie to take over.

“I think Dart will have a kind of Carson Wentz–y rookie season, which means a lot of really cool pocket evasions, with some big throws downfield and, sure, a couple of head-scratchers in between,” he added further. Though Carson Wentz didn’t have a rookie season like Jayden Daniels, he did end up making history. With 379 completions as a rookie, he not only recorded a high-end record but also surpassed Sam Bradford’s record of 354 completions by a rookie. Now, the reason why Orr believes Dart could post a similar season is because of the skills he possesses. Like Wentz, Dart is also known to make big plays and possess the ability to escape the pocket under pressure. 

But the thing is, Dart’s rookie season might not have the kind of support Wentz got in 2016, post-Chip Kelly era. Before he takes over to make serious plays, he would need an offensive line to back him up. Right now, the conditions appear dire. On top of that, most of their opponents in the upcoming season are playoff-contending teams. Now, that’s where the rookie’s “pocket navigation skills” might favor the Giants, at least according to Orr. “His ability to remain present downfield while evading rushers is elite,” he wrote, highlighting his performance in the preseason. 

For now, Dart will be sitting behind the veteran, who was signed with the intent to hand over the starting role. He took most of his snaps with the second team, while Wilson commanded the first team. But he did manage to get one rep with the first team. 

Rookie Jaxson Dart turns heads with consistent progress 

Interestingly, Conor Orr isn’t the only one to believe that Dart will strike down Wilson’s Big Apple dream; Giants insider Brandon London conveyed similar thoughts in an exclusive chat with talkSPORTS. In his opinion, the Giants would at max give Wilson a month to prove himself. Despite all the confidence Daboll showed in Wilson, they can’t have another 3-14 season, or one even remotely close to it. “I say four to six games,” London told the media outlet. 

What makes this look like a real possibility is the fact that Dart has been making headlines since his draft selection. He finished the preseason strong with 32-of-47 for 372 yards, three touchdowns, and a 113.1 rating. Even the head coach admitted, “He’s made progress every day, and I’m glad we drafted him. I’m glad he’s our guy.” Well, who isn’t? “Dart’s got that aura about him,” Giants RB Devin Singletary remarked. 

The 22-year-old has been like this since his college days. You know, there have been only four players in SEC history to record 12,000 total career yards, and Dart is one of them. During his time at Ole Miss, he surpassed the school’s season single record held by the legendary Eli Manning in passing and total offense. On top of that, he also made it into a first-team All-SEC selection with 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns. So, of course, his aura isn’t new.