Jaxson Dart's Year 2 Leap Will Determine Whether the Giants' Rebuild Is Real

Quarterback Jaxson Dart is the most important player on the New York Giants' roster in 2026, as the offense, which ranked 13th overall last year and 21st in passing offense, looks to take a substantial leap upward, aiming to get into the top 10 league-wide.

To ensure that happens, general manager Joe Schoen has quietly built a strong supporting cast, and new head coach John Harbaugh brings credibility to a rebuild that's been years in the making. The additions of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan, and senior offensive coordinator Greg Roman offer a strong knowledge base that can help the Giants reach their goals.

But none of that will matter if Dart can't take a significant step forward in his year two development.

Dart’s rookie season was extremely encouraging. He finished with a 63.7% completion rate, which, per PFF, was the 17th best among quarterbacks with a minimum of 300 pass attempts.

His dual-threat ability had defenses in knots throughout the season, as Dart recorded 24 total touchdowns (15 in the air and 9 on the ground), tying him for 16th in the same qualifying group. And his 86 rushing yards put him fourth among the league’s quarterbacks.

That’s a solid base, but there is still more work to be done. Dart finished his rookie season with a negative total passing EPA (Expected Points Added). His 31.1% deep ball accuracy on passes of 20+ air yards was a problem.

He often abandoned the pocket at the first sign of trouble, and there were times when he either held the ball too long or hung it up in the air, giving defenders a chance to close in and make a play.

These areas, plus a need to be more discerning regarding when to go down when he breaks the pocket as a runner, are among the areas where Dart needs to improve.

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) participates in drills during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

There is plenty of room for growth–working under center, working through his progressions, and executing are all going to be key things for him to improve over the season.

A big step forward for Dart would be to demonstrate proficiency in these areas and to continue fine-tuning what he was good at last year. And if he can do all that, there is no reason why the Giants' offense won’t be a Top-10 unit.

If he can't fix the weaknesses he showed in his rookie season, things could get ugly for Dart. With a full year of film available, defenses will start to lock in on the holes in the young quarterback’s game. He'll have to patch some of them to avoid a disastrous season.

That starts with learning when to break the pocket. In 2025, Dart scrambled 14.57% of the time when pressured, the third-highest rate in the league.

Dart needs to hold true to his word about being smarter when he runs with the ball. That’s a tough balance for a competitor like Dart, who is hard-wired to optimize the yardage every time he touches the ball, but it’s also a necessary area of growth for him.

If he pushes the envelope too far and ends up getting hurt to the point where he has to miss time, that will derail the team.

Overall, the Giants need Dart to avoid the sophomore slump. They’ve boosted the offensive line by bringing in Francis Mauigoa at right guard and re-signing Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle.

While they wait to see when Malik Nabers will be ready to return from a knee injury, they’ve added taller receiving targets like receiver Malachi Fields and tight end Isaiah Likely.

And they have added some beef to their rushing game, with fullback Patrick Ricard signing with the club.

The elements are there for Dart to put the best-case scenarios in reach. Now it’s up to him to make it happen.

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