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Why Giants Legend Thinks Benching Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart Was a 'Smart Move'

Andy Nesbitt

Jaxson Dart will make his first NFL start this Sunday when the Giants host the Chargers.
Jaxson Dart will make his first NFL start this Sunday when the Giants host the Chargers. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll made a big, and somewhat expected, move on Tuesday when he decided to bench Russell Wilson for rookie Jaxson Dart, who will make his first NFL start this Sunday when the team hosts the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers.

The Giants have struggled out of the gate for the most part and the offense, except a 37-point explosion against a hapless Cowboys defense in Week 2, hasn't been clicking in key situations under Wilson.

Giants legend Tiki Barber spoke Tuesday about the QB switch and explained why he loves the move.

"It might seem like desperation but I think it’s actually the smart move to fully develop Jaxson Dart in an environment where he can learn on the fly," Barber said. "I think the offensive line has played better so hopefully he’s protected but he’s also going to pick up invaluable experience by actually being in the game instead of coming in for the gimmicks that he was coming in for the first two weeks."

Barber went on to add that he thinks Dart may be able to add some new looks to the Giants' offense.

"He’s got a really live arm, he’s a bigger quarterback so throwing those balls over the middle—which we haven’t seen a lot of in the first three weeks of the season—might be something that gets integrated into the offense," Barber said. "From a fanbase standpoint, you're just excited to potentially be watching your future QB."

Here are Barber's full comments:

Dart, the No. 25th pick in last April's NFL draft, now has the keys to the Giants' offense and fans are hoping he can step up and become the face of the franchise for a long time.

He'll get his first shot to make a statement this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

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Andy Nesbitt
ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.

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