Why Giants fans shouldn’t expect Todd Monken to mold Jaxson Dart into MVP Lamar Jackson

The New York Giants appear to have landed former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh as its next sideline leader, with reports emerging overnight the pair are finalizing contract negotiations. If and when that hire becomes official, additional reports suggest Harbaugh will be bringing a familiar face from Charm City to New Jersey.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken looks to be the next guy to lead the Giants on that side of the ball this upcoming season. That should have fans excited considering how explosive Baltimore's offense was under his tutelage.

Todd Monken won't turn Jaxson Dart into Lamar Jackson overnight

The Ravens totaled 19,167 all-purpose yards, 161 total touchdowns and averaged 28 points per game in three seasons under Monken. Quarterback Lamar Jackson earned a league MVP in Monken's first year in Baltimore (and some say he deserved it again the following season) so that's got expectations for Giants QB Jaxson Dart rising to sky-high levels ahead of the 2026 season.

Giants fans should pump the brakes on their expectations entering next season with this new yet established coaching staff. Harbaugh and Monken have preceding reputations but the New York roster is nowhere near as seasoned as Baltimore. It's going to take time to get the Giants up to standard.

Dart was a bright spot for the New York offense in his rookie season, finishing third among all first-year passers with 2,272 yards but leading with 15 touchdowns. His dual-threat capabilities were on full display with his 487 rushing yards and 9 scores, not unlike Jackson, so there will be some familiarity there for Monken to work with.

Though the Giants may approach things differently with Dart moving forward considering he was assessed for multiple concussions throughout the season. The team will likely be focused on his longevity rather than his versatility, especially with talented rushers like Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo in the backfield already.

Dart experienced some growing pains aside from the head injuries in 2025. He threw five interceptions in 14 games played which isn't bad, but his youthful decision-making was very evident. He's not going to show up in 2026 looking like a 30+ touchdown, 4,000+ yard passer but he will show improvement in that direction for sure.

Monken has also been previously criticized for abandoning the run game late in contests. If he's reflected on that, he may overcompensate and lean on the Tracy-Skattebo tandem more than he would Dart's own legs or even possibly his arm. If it translates to wins for New York, nobody's going to care how he gets it done.

The bottom line here is that Monken may have had some serious success with Jackson in just three seasons but that's not going to automatically translate to his new (potential) home. Look at how Brian Daboll handled his tenure in New York with Daniel Jones after he unlocked Josh Allen's potential with the Buffalo Bills.

There's going to be obvious improvement in Dart's game under Monken's tutelage. Just don't expect the 22-year-old to make leaps and bounds into the elite second-year QB conversation like Drake Maye and Bo Nix did this season.