Sportsnaut
There are many questions surrounding the New York Giants this summer, but perhaps the biggest one is how head coach Brian Daboll will manage his quarterback situation during the preseason.
The top three quarterbacks on the depth chart — Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart — are all new to Daboll’s offense and will need to see game action before the start of the regular season. But there’s tremendous intrigue around how they’ll split time on the field, especially as it pertains to Dart.
Throughout training camp, Wilson has taken the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense, while Winston and Dart have split time with the second and third units. Here’s the likely scenario for how the Giants’ 50-year-old head coach will handle his quarterback rotation during the preseason.
Despite entering his 14th season in the NFL, it would be ideal for Wilson to get some game reps with the first-team offense in the preseason. New York’s opener against the Buffalo Bills presents an opportune time for the veteran QB to take the field for a drive or two. Malik Nabers may join Wilson for a series and connect on a few passes before both head to the sidelines.
Then we should see Dart enter and play the remainder of the first half and possibly into the third quarter, giving him a significant number of throws. From there, Winston will handle a few drives, and Tommy DeVito will close out the game.
Before the Giants and New York Jets’ annual preseason showdown at MetLife, the teams will hold joint practices on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the Jets’ facility in Florham Park, and Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Giants’ facility in East Rutherford.
Typically, coaches prefer to play their starters in joint practices because it’s a controlled environment where they can dictate the pace. Since the teams will practice together for two consecutive days earlier in the week, it’s unlikely we’ll see any starters from either squad aside from the rookies.
Daboll may have Wilson play the opening series so the MetLife Stadium crowd can see him in action for the first time as a Giant, but this game should be the Jaxson Dart Show, where he plays the majority of snaps.
This will be the rookie quarterback’s chance to showcase his talent and prove to his coaches and teammates that he deserves to be number two on the depth chart. He can also demonstrate that he’ll be ready to perform if the team decides to move on from Wilson at some point this season.
The final preseason game is always crucial, as players fight to secure one of the few remaining roster spots before final cuts are made. Since it’s rare to see any first-team or second-team players, Daboll may elect not to play Dart if he’s concerned the reserve offensive line can’t protect...
