The winless New York Giants are planning to hand the keys to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart on Sunday when the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers visit East Rutherford, N.J., ESPN reported on Tuesday.
Veteran Russell Wilson, 36, is expected to serve as the backup quarterback to the 22-year-old Dart, who was selected with the 25th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. The Giants also have veteran Jameis Winston on the roster.
Wilson threw for 450 yards in New York’s 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 14 before being limited to 160 yards and two interceptions.in a 22-9 setback to the Kansas City Chiefs. His passer rating of 78.5 is 23rd in the league. He has three touchdowns and three interceptions in three games.
The Giants utilized Dart as a change-of-pace option on one possession in the second half. He ran the ball twice and totaled zero net yards with one 3-yard run. Fans at MetLife Stadium booed when Dart went back to the bench mid-drive with Wilson returning to the field.
Giants fans likely will have a different response to Dart reportedly making the start, wide receiver Darius Slayton cautioned against the team moving too quickly to the rookie quarterback on Monday. Slayton, in fact, reference fellow 2019 draft pick Daniel Jones — who is now with the Indianapolis Colts — as an example.
“I think I’ve kind of said it a little bit (Sunday) after the game,” Slayton said. “I’ve kind of said it in the past, but even if you look back at 2019 when we had this similar situation with (former quarterback) Eli (Manning) and (Jones), you know.
“DJ’s time with the Giants didn’t end in an amicable fashion, and a lot of people have a lot of reasons for that, but probably some of that was the fact that he was thrown in the fire Week 3 my rookie year and was asked to go out there and try to win football games, while you’re still trying to figure the game out. I said (Sunday) we just played (Patrick Mahomes) who didn’t play at all his rookie year, and he’s probably going to go down as the greatest player ever.
“So, if he can benefit from waiting and learning, anybody can. It’s not just him, (Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback) Lamar Jackson waited. A lot of quarterbacks in this league, you know, they took their time. They had a chance to grow, had a chance to learn and watch, and ultimately, I want Jaxson Dart to be a perennial All-Pro, Pro Bowl, Super Bowl-winning quarterback one day, and (Chiefs head coach) Andy Reid thought it worked, and they’ve been to a few Super Bowls in his time, so why not let him wait while he can wait?”
Slayton, on Monday, was asked about his thoughts should the Giants make a quarterback change to Dart.
“He’s talented. He’s shown himself to be able to learn fast. I think he’s capable of being an NFL quarterback. I think he’s capable of being a good NFL quarterback,” Slayton said.
“But, if they do, and if we do have a lackluster performance maybe a week or two, it’s like, well then if that’s the case give him some time. Give him some grace. Don’t show up and boo him a game or two in if he doesn’t do well, which I don’t expect him to do well.
“But I’m just saying the reality is it might not. So, if that’s the case, give him time to grow. Give us time to gel. Let him be an NFL quarterback. Let him figure out what that is and learn and grow and learn us as players playing with us players. And give him a chance to grow and become a good quarterback. Something that I feel like Daniel Jones probably didn’t get the chance to become a good NFL quarterback. Something that I hope that Jaxson Dart will get the chance to do if he does get the opportunity to play.”
Dart was 32-of-47 passing for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason and rushed for a TD against the New York Jets.
He will take over a team that went 1 of 10 on third down against Kansas City and came away with one touchdown in three possessions in the red zone. They have two red-zone TDs on 10 possessions inside the opponents’ 20 this season.
The Giants are 27th in the NFL in scoring (17.3 points per game) and 31st in the red zone as well as third-down conversion percentage (27.5).
