Should the Giants play it safe and rest Jaxson Dart? That wouldn't make any sense at all
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 9 in Chicago. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
As the Giants await word on whether Jaxson Dart will clear the concussion protocol before Sunday’s game in Detroit, the offensive staff no doubt is refining ways to better protect the quarterback.
Dart remained a limited participant in practice on Thursday. It leads to more questions about his status for Friday’s practice, given that there was no change from Wednesday.
“It’s up to the doctors on that one,” interim coach Mike Kafka said. “I’m not sure what the exact protocol is, but it’s up to the doctors to tell me. When he’s live and ready to go, then we’ll fire him up.”
Yet with six games left, perhaps there’s some thought that the Giants should be even more cautious with Dart. With the team 2-9, why not sit Dart for the rest of the season?
Besides the fact that the Giants haven’t thrown out that idea and nobody credible is saying it, it’s a silly one to begin with.
Yes, the Giants’ season is all but lost. They would be eliminated from playoff contention Sunday with a loss to the Lions and a win by either the Cowboys, Vikings or Seahawks. A Seahawks tie also would knock out the Giants.
It still makes no sense for the team to rest the rookie. Even with Dart visiting the medical tent in four different games since the preseason, he stands to gain more from playing than sitting. And taking into account the hope that the team has for him, game action is a better teacher than sideline study.
“I think it’s beneficial to have your own self-inflicted experiences to be able to learn from your game,” said quarterback Jameis Winston, who started as a rookie in 2015 with the Buccaneers. “You never know what can happen if you don’t experience it, [or] if you’re just watching someone else. Like being able to make those split time decisions, I think that helps.”
Dart has started seven games. He’s played 452 snaps, ninth-most among quarterbacks since his Week 4 debut, and has thrown 204 passes, 18th in that span. That’s not a lot of reps for someone who could benefit from adjusting to NFL defenses.
Quite a few rookie quarterbacks, such as Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman and Josh Allen, played through losing seasons as rookies. It worked out fine. There’s even proof from last season that it can work.
Caleb Williams played 1,123 snaps. Bo Nix had 1,088. Jayden Daniels had 1,062. All three started every game, and you can throw in Drake Maye, who played 681 snaps and started the final 12 games last season.
Now look where those quarterbacks are in Year Two. Daniels beat the Giants in the season opener, but he’s had an injury-plagued sophomore year. The rest, however . . .
Nix, who dazzled in Denver’s fourth-quarter rally over the Giants, has led the Broncos on an eight-game winning streak. Williams led the 7-3 Bears to their own fourth-quarter comeback against the Giants.
Maye is playing like an MVP candidate with the Patriots, who also have won eight straight games. The Giants will see him in two weeks on Monday Night Football.
It doesn’t guarantee that Dart will take a greater leap in 2026. But the more NFL snaps he plays, the more challenges he’ll deal with, and that’s best for his career going forward, as Winston knows firsthand.
“I think that’s just important for the overall position of him learning and executing more situational football and him being the quarterback that he desires to be,” Winston said.
That’s why Kafka said if Dart is cleared, he’ll remain the starter. There is being cautious with how many hits he takes and then there’s overdoing it just because the Giants have little to play for.
The best way for quarterbacks to learn is on the field. The Giants have two quarterbacks, Winston and Russell Wilson, who have proved that playing often as rookies can be a good foundation for development
The Giants definitely should be cautious with how Dart uses his legs, but they shouldn’t entertain the silly idea of sitting him in a lost season. There’s more for Dart to find and learn on the field than by watching the Giants sink from the sideline.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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