If the New York Giants want to think about returning to the Super Bowl, they must place all their confidence in their quarterback Jaxson Dart, and team legend Eli Manning believes he has the potential to lead them to success, but it is necessary to build the team around him.
For Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion, Jaxson Dart’s potential is evident, but his long-term success will depend on a specific mental and technical evolution, and for that it is necessary to develop a player who can operate under maximum pressure.
During a recent appearance on ESPN New York’s DiPietro and Rothenberg, Manning said: “It’s a tough situation to say,” Manning stated while evaluating Dart’s future.
“I see the ability, and I see the playmaking ability to extend plays, to move in the pocket. He’s got a great presence in the pocket, and now, it’s kind of taking that next step to getting the ball out on time and getting through that second or getting through that third progression, getting through your progressions quicker. That’s kind of the next step for young quarterbacks is, ‘Hey, I have the ability to run, but I don’t want to do that too often. I want to get the ball to the receivers.'”
Manning emphasized that Dart’s ability to extend plays is a double-edged sword: “The one thing about when you hold the ball longer, or you have the ability to extend plays and do those things, what happens is you end up taking more sacks, and you end up taking more hits.”
“And so those are kind of the negative side of that. It’s just kind of finding that sweet spot of, ‘Hey, I need to get the ball out? I need to get completions. I’m fine taking checkdowns. I don’t always have to push the ball down the field.’ If truly nothing’s there, and I feel that I have an extra time of kind of using those moments to extend plays and to make those big plays because they create big plays. You just don’t know which side of the ball is going to get the big play. It can lead to sacks. It can lead to touchdowns. And so, you just got to be careful doing it too often, though.”
Priority 2026: Surround Jaxson Dart for success
After a disappointing 4-13 campaign that resulted in the firing of Brian Daboll, the Giants have reshuffled their priorities under new head coach John Harbaugh. The message is clear: surround Dart with the necessary tools to succeed.
Harbaugh did not hide his enthusiasm upon taking the job: “It starts with the quarterback for sure. You build your team around your quarterback. You build your team around your players and what they do well. I like the way he plays. I like his talent, skill set, all the things he’s accomplished, but more than that, I like who he is and what he’s about.”
The challenge for 2026 will be rebuilding an offense that struggled with injuries to Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. In addition to improving the offensive line, which allowed the seventh-highest pressure rate in the league (37.8%), the team has revamped its staff with Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator and Brian Callahan as quarterbacks coach, seeking for Dart to take the definitive leap.
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