Giants QB Jaxson Dart's Biggest Strength is Also His Biggest Weakness

For the most part, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart looked good in the team's preseason debut. He went 3-for-4 with 26 yards and threw a beautiful touchdown pass to Malachi Fields, a connection I feel we'll be seeing quite a bit.

But one thing was clear in Dart's first exhibition contest of his sophomore campaign: he still holds on to the ball a bit too long.

I'm not talking about the sack from Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward, where running back Tyrone Tracy missed a block and caused Dart to get walloped in the backfield. That was simply an offensive breakdown.

I'm talking in general, and to be honest, it's also part of what makes Dart so dangerous to opposing defenses.

Dart's ability to improvise is incredible. We saw it on the Fields touchdown toss, and we saw it a whole lot in 2025. But it also gets him into trouble.

For a quarterback who already has a questionable medical history, Dart does need to learn that it's okay to throw the ball out of bounds sometimes.

The 23-year-old is a fiery competitor. We know that. But there are times when that competitive nature comes at a price, like last year when Dart found himself in the medical tent five times throughout the campaign — and missed two games due to a concussion.

I like that Dart has a little bit of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in him. They are two of the best at improvising on the fly, and Dart has similar attributes in that area.

The difference? Dart doesn't have Allen's Captain America build, and he doesn't have Jackson's historically elite athleticism.

Dart is pretty robust at 6-foot-2, 223 pounds, and there is no doubt he is athletic. But Allen and Jackson are in the very top percentile in those respective categories. Dart is not.

Part of what makes an elite quarterback is knowing your limitations, or at least being cautious around the edges. Dart doesn't appear to acknowledge either of those concepts.

Surely, John Harbaugh has made him a bit more aware of his safety, and that has been on display during Giants camp drills. But will it actually manifest on the field?

It's not even just a health matter, either. Sometimes, Dart can hurt his team by trying to extend a play that's clearly going nowhere. Again, throwing the ball away is perfectly fine if there isn't anything there.

Dart is unique in the sense that he can absolutely turn what initially appears to be nothing into something. It's what makes him so exciting and fun to watch. But there comes a point in time when the former first-round pick needs to rein it in just a bit.

Hopefully, Dart continues to learn and adjust as he moves forward.