Jaxson Dart Shines in Preseason, But Giants Refuse to Budge on Russell Wilson

For years, Giants fans begged for a new face under center once the Daniel Jones saga finally limped to a close. Enter Brian Daboll, now with the rare luxury of handpicking his own quarterback. His choice? Ole Miss product Jaxson Dart.

Dart wasted no time charming the fanbase. Against the Bills, he zipped a touchdown to Lil’Jordan Humphrey while eating a hit a play that had supporters buzzing. Then came his MetLife debut versus the Jets, where he looked every bit the future franchise guy: 14-of-16 passing for 137 yards and a score through the air, plus a rushing touchdown for good measure. It was the sort of performance that leaves fans whispering, “We’ve found our guy.”

But here’s the cold reality: no matter how dazzling Dart has been, he’s not opening the season as QB1. That job still belongs to Russell Wilson.

From the outset of camp, Daboll made it clear Wilson is the starter. Yes, the Giants drafted Dart. Yes, they even brought in Jameis Winston. But this was less about sparking a competition and more about building actual depth, something the Giants’ quarterback room has sorely lacked for years.

Wilson’s résumé speaks for itself: a Lombardi Trophy, ten Pro Bowl nods, and a knack for delivering the kind of big plays he flashed with his 80-yard bomb to Beaux Collins against the Jets. That experience matters especially with the brutal gauntlet the Giants face early on. The first eight weeks? Washington, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, and Philadelphia twice. That’s a minefield. Tossing a rookie into that fire could burn more than it builds.

So even after two excellent preseason outings, nothing’s changed. The smart move is still to let Wilson take the wheel, at least until proven otherwise. If the veteran falters and the offense sputters, then it’ll be Dart’s turn to show whether the preseason promise can survive the regular-season grind.