Insider notes on Giants: Jaxson Dart to take over from Russell Wilson soon, Brian Daboll's future, and more

After starting the season 0-2, the New York Giants travel to Kansas City for a Week 3 matchup against a Chiefs team desperate for victory. The calls for Jaxson Dart to take over as the starting quarterback are already getting louder and louder from the fan base despite a 450-yard, three-touchdown passing performance by Russell Wilson against the Cowboys during the team’s overtime loss Sunday.

So how soon before Dart takes over as the team’s starting signal caller? Sources around the league tell me what they are hearing. It's been a miserable run for the Giants dating back to last season. The team has lost 13 of 14 games since the beginning of October 2024, with its only victory coming against the Indianapolis Colts in a Week 17 contest. And while many are calling for a change at quarterback, both sides of the ball have factored into this miserable slide.

The Giants defense gave up a combined 335 yards rushing and 573 yards passing during the team’s first two games. Even after selecting defensive tackle Darius Alexander in the third round of April’s draft with the hopes of pairing him with Dexter Lawrence up front, opponents have pounded the Giants running the ball.

And though it’s still early, the Toledo product has been slightly disappointing. After being a healthy scratch in Week 1, Alexander had little impact against the Cowboys last Sunday when he was on the field. Coaches are still high on the rookie and feel he will be contributing as the weeks roll by.

Then there’s the scoring side of the ball. Despite putting up huge numbers against Dallas, the red-zone offense has been terrible for the Giants this season. Wilson’s ability to produce explosive plays saved the team against the Cowboys, yet once again the offensive line has struggled this year. Andrew Thomas has been sidelined the first two weeks as he continues his final rehab from the Lisfranc injury that limited him to just six games in 2024.

The hopes are that Thomas, one of the best left tackles in the league when healthy, will return to the field this week against the Chiefs. Sources tell me that head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen are hanging on by a thread, which should come as no surprise. The mood in the locker room has changed from trying to stay upbeat to the realization that the team must win, and win soon, or both could be out the door before the season ends.

So where does that leave Jaxson Dart?

Wilson will start against the Chiefs, but insiders tell me that if the game goes as expected, meaning a big win by Kansas City, they expect Dart to be inserted into the lineup as early as the following week when the Giants take on the Los Angeles Chargers and no later than Week 5 when the Saints come to MetLife to battle Big Blue.

Much will depend on the state of the offensive line and Thomas’ health to ensure that the rookie quarterback, who the franchise hopes will be the face of the future, does not get beaten up. After the Week 5 matchup against the Saints, the Giants’ schedule includes two games against the Philadelphia Eagles over a three-week period in which the Denver Broncos are sandwiched between. After that, it’s the Niners, Bears, Packer and Lions, all teams that can get after the quarterback.

Some feel that the saving grace for Daboll could be Jaxson Dart playing competitive football once inserted into the lineup then showing progress on the field. Considering the way former Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has started the season with the Indianapolis Colts, Daboll needs something positive to happen and needs it to happen soon. Some inside the league believe Dart could be that bolt of lightning and Daboll’s only saving grace.