Tension is high as the NFL preseason is kicking off. Meanwhile, over in the New York Giants camp, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart is starting to find his footing. The Ole Miss product admitted the game felt like a whirlwind at first, but things are starting to slow down for him. “I was able to make some checks that I wanted to, and I feel like that just allowed me to play just faster and be able to make quicker decisions,” he said. Does that all lead into the conversation of him finally getting the chance to start the game? 

Well before that, one thing is certain for the Giants’ star. He’s becoming more comfortable with the playbook and getting quicker with his decisions. Even though the star player, Russell Wilson, is firmly locked in as the Giants’ starter, the backup spot is wide open. Can that be a chance for the Champ? With Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito in the room, the competition is evident. If Dart impresses early, there might be a chance that he could climb faster than expected. What does the New York Giants’ general manager of the NFL think about it?

“We aren’t going to put a time frame on it. … When it’s Jaxson’s time, we’ll have that discussion,” Joe Schoen said. “The more he plays ball and he gets those live reps and gets to get out there in front of an NFL crowd and NFL speed and continues to improve his timing, anticipation, the execution, there’s going to be mistakes. So get those out of the way, hopefully in the preseason. But again, the more laps around the track, the better you’re going to be. And I’m excited to see him play, and we’ll determine how much he’s going to play and what quarters and what that’s going to look like here moving forward,” he said.

As Dart had a tough day at the training camp, the rookie QB has continued to work hard. He struggled with timing, held the ball too long, and had trouble completing passes, including an interception on his first pass attempt. Jaxson Dart was also seen as uncomfortable at times. But there’s been progress. He knows he’s still learning and isn’t trying to change his natural aggressive style, but he’s learning to balance it with smart decision-making. As he puts it, the goal is to be “aggressive, not reckless.“

Even Giants coordinator Mike Kafka added, “I’d say Jaxson is right on schedule from what we’d expect in terms of just understanding the offense, continuing to grow and learn every day. Every day we’re presenting him…..with different situations…..whether it’s in two-minute, whether it’s a third-down situation or a certain blitz look that we’re getting, he’s able to kind of grow and learn from those examples…..he’s starting to put the picture together a little bit better and cleaner for a rookie.”

So, while Wilson’s the guy for now, Dart’s development is worth keeping an eye on as the preseason rolls on. Even as Dart begins to settle in, bigger decisions loom over how and when the Giants will use him.

Giants’ Brian Daboll avoids clarity on rookie QB Jaxson Dart’s reps

Heading into this season, Brian Daboll has one more shot to turn things around. That shot began with a swing in the 2025 NFL Draft. With their first-round pick, the Giants selected Dart out of Ole Miss. While Schoen was impressed with the QB, he’s had issues with timing, decision-making, and processing speed.

 The Giants can’t afford a slow start. Wilson is seen as the safer bet over an unseasoned rookie. When asked how quarterback reps would be split during the preseason, Daboll danced around the question. “I don’t think there’s one right formula. I think you have to do what’s best for your football team. So is it one series? Two series? A half? You talk about that as a staff, look at the practices we’ve had,” Daboll said.

That kind of response only adds fuel to speculation that the team lacks a clear development plan for Dart, which might be a risky scenario. But who knows, he might have some solid plan for Dart, giving him the reps he needs in the season. Nevertheless, at least there’s still that hope that Daboll can recreate the same success with Dart as he did with Josh Allen. The pressure is clearly on!