Jaxson Dart’s talent is evident to everyone; however, it could be affected if injuries follow him next season. That’s what Eric Mangini, former head coach of the Jets and Browns, said while analyzing what lies ahead for the New York Giants.
“My concern with him is going to be more whether or not he can tone down this bravado that he has. I know we talk about moxie and aggression. All that stuff is good. But if you’re not able to play because you’re hurt, then you’re no real use to anybody,” he said on a recent episode of First Things First.
“And I think that could be as much of a limiting factor for him as anything. The way you also infuse a veteran head coach in the organization and that stability. Yeah, it’s on the table for the Giants.”
The feared concussions for Dart
During his rookie campaign with the Giants, Jaxson Dart struggled to stay on the field due to his physical playing style. The most significant concern was a recurring concussion issue; Dart was evaluated for head injuries five times throughout the year, including the preseason.
Jaxson Dart #6 of the New York Giants.
His NFL season was notably interrupted in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears, where a concussion forced him to miss the following two games and led to the Giants turning to veteran backups like Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. While he proved to be a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with 9 rushing touchdowns, his durability remains the primary focus for the team heading into 2026.
Can Harbaugh control Dart’s physical play?
Dart is a player who takes risks and holds nothing back. However, this brought him many consequences in his NFL debut. John Harbaugh has worked for years with Lamar Jackson, who has similar traits, so the coach could work on this aspect with Dart.
“I do think Harbaugh can sit down there and be like, look, I’ve had the greatest running quarterback ever (Lamar Jackson), and he slid,” co-host Chris Broussard added. “He, you know, he got out of harm’s way. You won’t survive in this league if you keep playing.
“So I think he has a credibility, not only because he’s been a very good coach, but because he coached a running quarterback even much better, obviously, than Dart. So I think that there’s a chance that Harbaugh can get through to him, and yeah, they could, they could make some noise.”
Alternative experience for Dart
At the moment, Dart’s only primary backup on the depth chart is Jameis Winston. Will the Giants look for another quarterback in the next draft? Here are their available picks:
- Round 1 – No. 5
- Round 2 – No. 37
- Round 4 – No. 105
- Round 5 – No. 145
- Round 6 – No. 186
- Round 6 – No. 192 (via Miami)
- Round 6 – No. 193 (via Dallas)
