Where is all of this Jaxson Dart doubt coming from as the New York Giants prepare for their season finale?
First, Colin Cowherd suggested that the New York Giants draft Fernando Mendoza and trade Jaxson Dart. Then, Tiki Barber questioned Dart's long-term security in the Big Apple.
Now, here we are, with just one week remaining in the regular season, and we have Ian Rapoport of NFL media reporting that the Giants will consider all options in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could include selecting Mendoza.
Heck, we also have countless former players and analysts suddenly saying they don't feel Dart is the guy for Big Blue moving forward.
What in the world has happened?
Just a few weeks ago, Dart was the sure-fire solution for the Giants under center. He had revitalized the city, and it seemed pretty obvious New York didn't need a quarterback anymore.
Fast forward to now, and some seem ready to give up on him.
Based on what?
Let me just start by saying that the Rapoport report seems like classic posturing on the part of the Giants to gain leverage in potential trade talks. New York was slated to land the No. 1 pick at the time of Rapoport's bombshell (the Giants are now No. 2 in the draft order), so why would the G-Men play their hand and make it clear they want to trade down?
I don't believe for a second that New York was genuinely considering drafting Mendoza.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.Now, on to the doubters.
I didn't hear most of these people during the rookie campaigns of both Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, both of which were rather underwhelming (especially in the case of Allen).
Dart's rookie season has actually been superior to both Jackson's and Allen's. In 11 starts, he has thrown for 2,042 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions (many of which were the result of receivers running the wrong routes) while completing 63.2 percent of his passes and posting an 89.8 passer rating. He has also rushed for 455 yards and nine scores on 5.6 yards per carry.
And did I mention that the Ole Miss product has done all of this without Malik Nabers — who suffered a torn ACL three quarters into Dart's debut as a starter — and much of it sans Cam Skattebo, who went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8?
Really. Look at Dart's supporting cast and then look at how well he has played in comparison. How can anyone realistically say that he definitely isn't the answer?
To be quite frank, I don't know if Dart is the real deal. It's too early to say. But it's even more ridiculous to flat out say that he isn't.
Dart deserves a chance to play with a legitimate supporting cast for a full season, and the Giants may be able to put that together for him this offseason.
It's been a wild year for Big Blue, but perhaps the wildest twist of the entire campaign has been the sudden trepidation surrounding Dart's future.