Former NFL QB Explains Why Jaxson Dart Needs to Play for Giants in 2025

As they have shown this offseason, the New York Giants intend to allow quarterback Russell Wilson to serve as the main arm to get things back on track quickly in the 2025 season. 

However, the next biggest question facing the team’s current regime, led by Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, is how much time the veteran Pro Bowler should be given to get the offense rolling. 

When the Giants signed Wilson, the move was viewed as a desperation play, as they needed to bring at least one player into the barren room after the previous season ended. 

The Giants seemed comfortable entrusting Wilson with their immediate fate, as evidenced by multiple meetings with the Super Bowl champion dating back to last offseason. 

Still, many have expressed concerns over Wilson’s age and the chance of his turnover woes from Pittsburgh growing into a tougher form under the scrutiny of the Big Apple. 

While it’s easy to believe that no matter what happens with Wilson, Schoen and Daboll have bought themselves time with Giants ownership by handling the roster-building process, which included trading back up into the first round and drafting Ole Miss prospect Jaxson Dart at No. 25 to develop as the franchise quarterback. 

The reality is the duo are still far from having the coals held closely below their feet removed as the season looms, and that’s why former NFL gunslinger Chase Daniels believes that at some point in the year, if things go south, the rookie prodigy is going to have to make an appearance to spare a complete restart.

“When the Giants traded up to draft Jaxson Dart, I believe the leash for Russell Wilson was shortened,” Daniels said on The Facility show on FS1. 

“It all goes back to the old adage, if you take a quarterback in the first round, he’s going to play and he’s going to play right away. Since 2020, on average, a quarterback drafted in the first round has started in Week 3, so [Wilson’s] leash is probably three or four weeks.” 

Regardless of who is under center when the Giants open the season, it will be a challenging four-week window for Daboll and company. New York has been dealt the toughest strength of schedule across the league, an absolute gauntlet that begins with two NFC East divisional matchups and visits from the Chiefs and Chargers. 

As the Giants are just starting to get comfortable with a slightly upgraded offense headlined by the addition of the veteran, they’ll be tasked with meeting the moment against three teams that held top-15 offenses, two with top-5 defenses, and the same that knocked on the door of winning the Super Bowl.

With Wilson’s experience as a respectable play-action passer and pushing a team into the postseason as he did with the Steelers last fall, one would expect the Giants to come out with a little more efficiency on the offensive end than the 14.6 points per game they averaged in a 17-game stretch.  

They will also have the revamped defense that will be the franchise's calling card as they hope to stun opposing teams with a vicious four-man pass rushing combination boosted by the addition of rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter. So, it might be hard to fully get restless if things don’t go off with a complete bang with Wilson in the first few games. 

Still, the decree was put out from the Giants’ brass that can’t be ignored now that a rookie gunslinger is waiting in the wings. More wins and promise must be shown on the field this season, or else vast changes could be coming before the campaign is even over in East Rutherford.

Daniels backed Wilson's signing when it happened, but he acknowledged that it won't be long before Schoen and Daboll are pressured to make a desperation move to salvage their jobs and appease the fanbase that is dying for a franchise savior. 

Short of earning those 10+ wins that push them into the postseason and silence all the discussion about their futures with the organization, he said that the only chance of accomplishing that rescue plan would be to fall back on Dart and show what Daboll, a reputable quarterback mentor, can do with the prospect he pleaded for the front office to chase down and pick this past April. 

“The safest way for Brian Daboll to keep his job is to have some success with Jaxson Dart, and instill hope in that fanbase, instill hope in that organization,” Daniel said. 

“They’re going to have a defense, that defensive line might just be the best in football, and they’re going to play defense. And if Russell Wilson doesn’t turn the football over, it will be hard to lose his job.”

“But if you win eight, nine games with Wilson and you don’t make the playoffs, then you’re getting fired. Everyone--the front office and ownership--is clearing house, and everyone is out. If you can show some promise with Jaxson Dart, who they took a flier on because they think he can turn into the franchise quarterback, he needs to play.”

For now, the Giants are sticking firm on keeping Wilson in the starting role as the team approaches training camp and the impending season opener in September. 

Having Dart in the building has the right people excited about who he'll become, but they don't appear as hasty to throw him into the fire unless it becomes necessary to prevent a road the Giants have gone down too many times.

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