Giants' Jaxson Dart among players under pressure to perform in Year 2

[ASFN Admin]

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will look to cement himself among the NFL’s top signal-callers in his second season with the team this year.

Dart was solid during his rookie campaign in 2025, recording 2,272 passing yards and 15 total touchdowns. He could quickly reach an even higher level on New York’s new-look offense in 2026.

Dart will undoubtedly need to perform under pressure this season. The Giants will face some of the NFL’s top defensive units throughout the 2026 campaign, and he will be tested on numerous occasions.

Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker recently listed his top 10 NFL players under pressure to perform at a high level in their second year. Dart was the lone Giants player on the list, as the analyst believes the quarterback has room to improve despite his promising rookie season.

Despite mixed pre-draft evaluations, the Giants traded back up into the first round to select Dart with the 25th overall pick. Although his first season showed some flashes, plenty of refinement is needed.

Among 26 quarterbacks to play at least 340 dropbacks last season, Dart’s 67.9 overall PFF grade ranked 23rd, and his 64.2 PFF passing grade slotted 24th. While Dart had a propensity for high-level plays with a 5.2% big-time throw rate, his 3.4% turnover-worthy play rate tied for sixth-highest. Part of what contributed to Dart’s woes was subpar accuracy: His 11.2% plus accurate throw rate tied for last, and his 58.9% accurate attempt rate tied for 21st.

Dart’s arm, athleticism and improvisation give him naturally raw talent, but more development is required — particularly in avoiding poor decisions and sacks. With John Harbaugh now coaching New York, Dart's play should go hand-in-hand with whether or not the Giants can return to competitiveness. If Dart fails to make a jump in 2026, it could render some uncomfortable conversations and/or transactions next offseason.

Dart will enter a pivotal sophomore campaign with the Giants. The quarterback struggled with consistent accuracy last year and took a plethora of unnecessary hits when scrambling.

A rising star with elite arm strength and athleticism, Dart could quickly begin to shine in Year 2 of his NFL career despite some struggles as a rookie. He will still need to perform at a high level on a week-to-week basis.


This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Jaxson Dart among players under pressure to perform in Year 2

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