The New York Giants didn’t expect to find themselves in this position this early in the NFL season. Still, after Jaxson Dart’s injury update ended up being worse than expected it may be time for the organization to have an unsettling conversation.
Although Dart’s initial diagnosis was positive for the Giants after the QB’s scary injury, and even general manager Joe Schoen expressed optimism about Dart during the Monday Night Football game in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, the MRI results completely turned the tables.
Now, the G-Men are preparing for anything, and a season-ending injury hasn’t been ruled out yet. If that turns out to be New York’s reality, not only will it change the team’s outlook this season, but it would also put into question many of the things the Giants took for certain looking toward the future.
“The injury to Jaxson Dart, if it proves to be season-ending, has so many layers. Including this: He’ll head into Year 3 a massive question mark. Can he stay healthy? Is he a franchise QB? The Giants will need to come to that decision. This upcoming draft is loaded with quarterbacks,” Connor Hughes of SNY stated.
Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants warming up.
Dart is missing one thing to be called a franchise QB
There are no doubts about Dart’s game. He proved his worth during his rookie season in the NFL and did it again in the small sample size he was able to put together in 2026. Against the Rams, Dart started the game off in great form. So much so that he delivered a great throw, which was dropped by TE Theo Johnson, even during the play that he was injured on.
Based on his attributes, his decision-making, how he carries himself as a young star in New York, the maturity he’s shown in turning away from the things that were putting him in danger throughout his rookie year, and even his charisma and how he’s treated by the fanbase, there’s not a single element about Dart that doesn’t scream franchise quarterback.
However, Dart has had some trouble staying healthy, and as cliché as it sounds, availability is indeed the best ability. No franchise quarterback can keep that status if he’s missing games every couple of weeks or has yet to play a full season.
NY Giants could try again in 2027 NFL Draft
As noted by Hughes, with such a plethora of young, talented quarterbacks set to declare for the 2027 NFL Draft, it makes you wonder if the Giants won’t take a chance on another signal-caller of the future. Of course, it would all be in vain if the team doesn’t address the offensive line. That’s the root of the problem and why young quarterbacks like Dart must deal with the buzz around their health. The real conversation should be that they are being failed by their organizations.
Obviously, there are plays that lead to injuries in which it comes down to the quarterback to protect himself, but it’d be unfair to blame Dart’s ability to stay healthy and overlook every other young quarterback who’s been injured as much as, or more than, he has early in their careers. Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, Tua Tagovailoa, and many others have battled injuries in their careers, and they all have a common denominator: a subpar offensive line.
That’s often the price quarterbacks who go high in the draft must pay, but it shouldn’t always be like that. Teams should start focusing on building franchise offensive lines and preaching smart football rather than asking their quarterback/saviors to play hero ball on every crucial down.
Dart’s injury raises alarms in New York
As for the debate around Dart, it remains to be seen just how much time he will miss. For the time being, any timeline is only conjecture. By the time Dart returns, whenever that may be, New York will have to do a much better job of protecting him.
At the end of the day, the franchise in East Rutherford boasts a three-headed monster in the shape of Dart, Malik Nabers, and Cam Skattebo, but can’t exploit it. Perhaps it’s the Mandela effect, but most fans rate Dart and Nabers as one of the best QB-WR duos in the NFL, but that partnership has only shared the field for a full game once in two years.
While debating whether Dart is New York’s franchise quarterback or not has some logic, perhaps a better debate must be whether the Giants can actually enjoy a franchise quarterback or if their own issues limit them and end up coming back to bite them. So far, the answer seems obvious, even if it pains Big Blue to admit it.
Key takeaways
- Jaxson Dart’s knee MRI revealed damage worse than the team initially expected.
- The upcoming 2027 NFL Draft is loaded with quarterbacks.
- Malik Nabers and Jaxson Darthave only played one full game together.
