The New York Giants finally got their quarterback of the future by trading up for Jaxson Dart in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the team firmly believes they have their guy, the belief within the organization is that head coach Brian Daboll wants to approach the beginning of Dart's career in the same way he did with Josh Allen on the Buffalo Bills.

With four quarterbacks currently on the roster, the Giants are looking to give Dart a pseudo-redshirt year and have him sit for most of the 2025 season, per ESPN insider Jordan Raanan. New York signed veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, both of whom Raanan believes will be ahead of Dart on the depth chart.

“The Giants drafted Dart in the first round and seem OK with him sitting and learning for a year,” Raanan wrote. “Coach Brian Daboll talked about how he'll get mostly third-team reps throughout the spring and summer. There will be a developmental plan similar to what they did with Josh Allen in Buffalo. In the meantime, Russell Wilson is the starter and Jameis Winston is the likely backup, with Tommy DeVito — the veteran who knows the offense best — entering his third season to provide support.”

Daboll built his reputation as a renowned offensive coordinator, but most notably worked with the Bills for the first four years of Allen's career. Many credited Daboll for Allen's rise, leading to his status as a top head coaching candidate.

Jaxson Dart has big shoes to fill with Giants

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May 10, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) throws a pass during rookie minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
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New York Giants president John Mara (far left), general manager Joe Schoen (left), Jaxson Dart, Abdul Carter, and head coach Brian Daboll (right) pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference to introduce the Giants first round draft picks.
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Even if he does not play a single meaningful snap in 2025, Dart joins the Giants with big shoes to fill. Being a first-round quarterback in a New York market will come with increased expectations, but Dart additionally joins the team amid one of its roughest patches in franchise history.

After six unsatisfying years with Daniel Jones under center, Giants fans desperately hope Dart is the answer. The team has not had a reliable quarterback for nearly a decade. While Eli Manning is viewed fondly by fans post-retirement, the final few years of his career were not well-received.

Manning, the last solid Giants quarterback and arguably the best signal-caller in franchise history, is also part of the reason fans are sold on Dart. The two share a lineage at Ole Miss, immediately sparking comparisons, considering Dart is the first former Rebel quarterback New York drafted since the two-time Super Bowl MVP.