The 2026 season is important for the New York Giants in several ways. It’s their first year with John Harbaugh as head coach. He’s expected to raise the floor of how competitive the team can be week to week. Along with that, New York needs its second-year QB to take a step forward. Can Giants’ Jaxson Dart improve his game and lead the team to a winning record?
Dart’s rookie season was far from perfect. There were plenty of teaching points for the 23-year-old during the 2025 season. However, Dart possesses traits that the coaching staff can build around. Heading into his sophomore season, where do the Giants need to see Dart make the most improvements?
Where Can Giants’ Jaxson Dart Improve Heading Into His Sophomore Season?
Where Did Giants’ Jaxson Dart struggle as a rookie?
The Giants need Dart to improve his decision-making on designed quarterback runs and scrambles. As a rookie, Dart took far too many hits when he easily could have slid or gone out of bounds to avoid contact. Arguably, the most memorable hit he took from his first season was against the New England Patriots in Week 13. Dart was rolling out of the pocket to his right on a second and long. Instead of going out of bounds, Dart took a massive hit from Patriots linebacker Christian Ellis.
In real time, it looked like a dirty hit. However, Dart was clearly still on the field, and Ellis made him pay. He took several big-time hits as a rookie. That needs to change heading into 2026 if Dart wants to be available for all 17 games.
Another area where Dart needs to improve is his overall passing efficiency. In 14 games played and 12 starts as a rookie, Dart completed 63.7% of his passes. That is slightly below the league average of around 65%. There were a few games in 2025 in which Giants Jaxson Dart struggled mightily, none more than a Week 16 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
New York lost 16-13 at home, and the offense struggled to move the ball through the air. Dart was 7-13 for just 33 passing yards and one interception, which was far and away the worst game he played during the 2025 season.
What can Giants’ Jaxson Dart build on heading into his second season?
New York’s franchise quarterback made his presence felt on the ground in 2025. Dart carried the ball 86 times for 487 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. While there were some designed runs for Dart, most of his on the ground came from scrambling. His nine touchdowns on the ground set a new single-season franchise record for Giants rookie quarterbacks. On top of that, it was also the third-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Another area Dart excelled was his off-script play style. When a play broke down in 2025, Dart did not panic. He kept his eyes downfield and trusted his offensive line. In several instances, Dart improvised and made magic happen. One highlight in which Dart scrambled was in Week 6 when he threw a touchdown pass to Wan’Dale Robinson, who left in the offseason for the Tennessee Titans.
In the first quarter of a different matchup, the Giants had a 2nd down and 9 situation. A pass play was called, but the Philadelphia Eagles quickly pressured Dart. He had to immediately step up in the pocket and dance around to avoid being sacked. Somehow, Dart was able to scramble to his right and threw on the move, finding Robinson.
[Highlight] Giants QB Jaxson Dart escapes the pressure and finds WR Wan'Dale Robinson, who takes it 35 yards for the touchdown after the catch.
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They connected for a 35-yard touchdown on a broken play by the Eagles’ defense. To improve his game for 2026, Dart needs to work on his overall skills and footwork as a passer. Additionally, he must protect himself on the field and remain available to the Giants in the long term.
Main Photo Courtesy of Thomas Salus – Imagn Images
