Before the preseason began, it felt as if the New York Giants' quarterback situation was set into stone. Russell Wilson was brought in to start, Jameis Winston was going to be the backup, and Jaxson Dart, a first-round pick of the Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft, was going to be the third stringer, learning from the two veterans. Having preset expectations made sense, but things can change at a moment's notice in the NFL. The Giants sticking to their preset depth chart as assistant general manager Brandon Brown said on Tuesday, feels like a clear mistake, as it makes it very likely that Dart, the potential future franchise QB, will have little to no role on the 2025 Giants.
“I appreciate people that are interested, but Jameis is a New York Giant,” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said after practice Tuesday. “With the way that he’s gone about his business from Day 1, he’s made it very intentional with the fact that he wants to be here and he wants to be here for the long haul.”
Brown made it clear that Winston isn't going anywhere. Now, he didn't say outright that Winston will be the QB2 on the depth chart, and he wouldn't say that he's eager to trade someone (that'd lose any leverage the Giants had), but there certainly is every reason to believe he'll be Wilson's backup, ensuring Dart will be QB3.
There's certainly some value in having Winston, a veteran and outstanding locker room guy, in the mix, but the decision to keep him around, if that is indeed what happens, keeps the kid gloves on Dart.
Jaxson Dart has earned more than Giants appear willing to give him
I'm not going to say Dart should be the Week 1 starter, but he's looked nothing short of spectacular to begin his NFL career. He completed 12 of his 19 pass attempts for 154 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills, and then followed that up by going 14-for-16 for 137 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets. Dart impressed in the air and on the ground, and certainly looked like a quarterback capable of, at the very least, entering a regular season game in a pinch and not embarrassing himself.
It's important to not overreact to preseason games, and the Giants aren't doing that by sticking with Wilson as the starter, but hasn't Dart shown enough to suggest he can be the backup?
The Giants need to show confidence in Dart, the player they hope will soon lead their franchise to glory, by giving him a bump on the depth chart when he deserves one. Right now, it certainly looks like he deserves one.
Giants should trade Jameis Winston before the regular season
The Giants' quarterback situation has made Winston the odd-man out. Again, he provides value in the locker room, but Wilson is the starter and Dart is the future, so what kind of value does Winston provide on the field? This isn't to say he can't play - he's actually looked quite good in the preseason - but there just isn't room for him.
If Wilson struggles or suffers an injury, why can't Dart be the guy to fill in? If the Giants are eager to have a third quarterback, Tommy Devito is still in town too.
It'd be unfortunate to lose a locker room guy, but if it means Dart gets elevated to QB2 and Winston gets a clearer shot at playing time for another team, why not pull the trigger? Their refusal to do so feels like a mistake.