Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, two presumptive Week 1 starters, both saw game action in Saturday’s preseason New York vs. New York matchup, but neither had the best quarterback performance at MetLife Stadium.
That distinction would go to Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ first-round rookie passer out of Ole Miss. While preseason performances are taken with a grain of salt, Dart still had a fantastic showing in his second exhibition game.
Following his 154 passing yards and one touchdown pass against the Bills last week, Dart ran the Giants’ offense well, using his arm and his legs to find the end zone.
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Here’s a look at Dart’s performance in Saturday’s preseason game against the Jets.Â
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Jaxson Dart stats today
- Completions/Attempts:Â 14-16
- Passing Yards:Â 137
- AVG:Â 8.6
- Passing TDs:Â 1
- Interceptions:Â 0
- Rating:Â 123.2
- Rushing Yards:Â 5
- Rushing TDs:Â 1
Dart played a total of three drives, and two of them ended in Giants touchdowns. His first series was quiet, as the rookie took a sack on a third down that forced a punt, but Dart showcased his talent from there.
Despite playing without wide receivers like Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton, Dart orchestrated two scoring drives. The first touchdown came with his arm, lofting a 20-yard pass to Greg Dulcich. Then, shortly after, he finished off a drive with a one-yard rushing score.
Through two preseason games, Dart has looked the part of an NFL starter, even if he’s been competing against some backups and likely won’t start the season as a QB1.
#Giants QB Jaxson Dart in two preseason games:
– 26/35 passing
– 291 passing yards
– 2 passing TDs
– 1 rushing TD
– 0 INTs https://t.co/OKcOcqa9BP pic.twitter.com/3olB6QPwMv— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 17, 2025
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Jaxson Dart highlights in Week 2 preseason game vs. Jets
Dart’s second touchdown pass of the preseason went to the tight end Dulcich. After a quick hesitation, the Ole Miss product fired a simple throw into the middle of the field:
Jaxson Dart down the seam to Greg Dulcich for a TD!
Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/oyim36gi3b— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025
Dart’s rushing touchdown then came on a straightforward QB sneak, as he took the snap from the 1-yard line and immediately found the end zone.
Jaxson Dart is fired up after the QB sneak TD 🔥
Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/u0nPFa69Tc— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025
One of Dart’s longest plays went to Montrell Washington, another middle-of-the-field pass that involved strong timing from the rookie for 19 yards.
Jaxson Dart worked the middle of the field well, connecting with Montrell Washington for 19 yards. pic.twitter.com/VdduNmUElH
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) August 17, 2025
Here’s another strong pass from Dart on Saturday, which involved a tough arm angle to get a pass to Theo Johnson:
Look at the arm angle of this throw by @JaxsonDart 😯
Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Z9ZVZKg6Bb— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025
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Giants QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1. | Russell Wilson |
| 2. | Jameis Winston |
| 3. | Jaxson Dart |
| 4. | Tommy DeVito |
While Dart’s preseason has been an encouraging sign for the Giants’ future, all signs still point to Brian Daboll rolling with his top veteran, Russell Wilson, to begin the 2025 season.
The Giants signed Wilson on a one-year, $10.5 million deal earlier in the offseason. Between that financial commitment, Wilson’s status as one of the most respected veteran passers in the league, and New York’s offense seeking a significant boost after averaging just 294.8 total yards per game last season (third-worst in NFL), it would make little sense for the Giants to turn away from Wilson at quarterback right now, especially with Daboll saying all offseason that Wilson would get the nod in Week 1.
Another veteran will likely rank above Dart on the QB depth chart, as well, with the Giants paying former No. 1 pick Jameis Winston $8 million over two years this offseason. Unless Winston is traded, Dart slots in as the Giants’ third passing option to begin the 2025 season.
Wilson threw for 108 yards and an interception in Saturday’s preseason game, while Winston also topped the 100-yard mark with a rushing score in a solid day for Giants quarterbacks.
All things told, the Giants can only be happy with how Dart has performed in the preseason, but they appear to be taking a slow approach to making him their next franchise quarterback. With Wilson and Winston in the fold, Dart should have plenty of time to learn and develop in 2025, perhaps also still having a chance to earn starts at some point if the Giants fall out of playoff contention quickly.
