Jaxson Dart is running with a chip on his shoulder after his rookie season with the New York Giants ended with a 4-8 QB record. Besides improving his own stats, Dart will have to fix the team’s script after a 4-13 season. However, as he dives into the mission, he will have to manage pocket pressure, as highlighted by former Giants quarterback Kurt Warner. 

“I think the bottom line when we’re talking about a franchise quarterback is I’ve always believed that you got to find a guy that can win games for you with his right arm,” said Warner on the September 5 episode of the WFAN podcast. “And by that I mean the ability when other things aren’t going well, they can stand in the pocket and they can deliver. 

“The bottom line is the best quarterbacks in this league year in and year out are the guys that make plays consistently inside the pocket. And for me with Jaxson, we saw glimpses of that, but I saw a young quarterback that was impatient and a bit unclear inside the pocket at times.”

Dart’s numbers were better from a clean pocket, as expected, but his 71.1 passing grade in those situations still ranked among the lowest for starting QBs. His 51.6 grade under pressure was lower but remained in the mid-range among NFL starters. Warner is not the first one to identify how Dart is messy in pockets. 

“Dart is an extremely frustrating watch,” ESPN’s Benjamin Solak highlighted. “He has very little consistency to his process as a thrower and a pocket manager.” 

One of the biggest reasons behind Dart’s poor pocket mechanics is that his feet frequently lose contact with the ground. It affects his throwing rhythm, making it harder to react quickly when pressure arrives. His lower-body mechanics are also inconsistent, often leading to awkward throwing angles and unnecessary movement.

Going by stats, he was responsible for 39.1% of the pressure he absorbed as a rookie. It was the highest rate among 24 qualifying quarterbacks. His 3.08-second average time to throw ranked third among quarterbacks, and his 4.59-second average time to sack was the league’s highest, highlighting his problem of holding the ball for too long. 

However, even though the Giants lost 10-13 against the Minnesota Vikings during the preseason, head coach John Harbaugh had a good review of Dart. 

“He can assume he’s picked up there,” said the head coach. “I mean, I think he will feel pressure. He has good pocket presence, and he did it on the red zone play. He got himself out, so I think he’s good at that. But that’s one that should be picked up.”

The timing matters since Dart holds the potential of being the franchise quarterback. After the Giants chose the rookie over Russell Wilson, who got benched, the expectations are hitting the roof. They already made some notable offseason moves thinking about the quarterback’s progression. 

While Dart posted a solid 63.7% completion rate as a rookie, that number dropped to 59.81% on late downs, meaning he struggled more when defenses tightened up on third and fourth downs. It is expected of Dart to improve his stats after New York improved their run blocking this offseason. 

“I feel so much better,” Dart shared. “I feel in command. I feel confident. In this offense, there’s a lot that’s put on the quarterback’s plate, but it’s exactly how I want it. And we still have a lot of room to improve and grow as a unit, but I’m definitely feeling way better each and every day, continuing to learn, continuing to grow as a player, and just the comfort in the offense, seeing the defense and putting ourselves in great situations.”

The reason behind the confidence is also the availability of offensive weapons like wide receivers Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. Both of them got sidelined by injuries last season. Skattebo appears set to start for New York in Week 1 after returning to full health, while Nabers’ status remains up in the air. For Dart, though, this could be a make-or-break season in many ways.