Jaxson Dart Warned About ‘Subpar’ Numbers Giants Can’t Ignore
· Yahoo Sports
John Harbaugh is rebuilding the New York Giants on the foundation of smothering defense and power running, but the team’s success still ultimately hinges on how much quarterback Jaxson Dart can develop in Year 2, particularly how well he heeds the warning about a couple of “subpar” numbers his new coaches can’t ignore.
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Those numbers refer to what Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus dubbed Dart’s “subpar accuracy: His 11.2% plus accurate throw rate tied for last, and his 58.9% accurate attempt rate tied for 21st.”
Issues with ball placement underpinned a “3.4% turnover-worthy play rate tied for sixth-highest” amongst quarterbacks in 2025. Becoming more accurate is part of the learning curve for any young signal-caller in the NFL, but Locker cautioned that “if Dart fails to make a jump in 2026, it could render some uncomfortable conversations and/or transactions next offseason.”
Perhaps that’s a little outlandish, given how the Giants traded up to invest a first-round pick in Dart during the 2025 NFL draft. Yet, the worrying numbers detailed by Locker are part of recurring issues for Big Blue’s QB1 entering a critical sophomore campaign.
Jaxson Dart Getting Familiar With Ongoing Concerns
Dart’s list of flaws contains some repeat offenders, with accuracy and “avoiding poor decisions and sacks” chief among them, per Locker. Fixing accuracy begins with dart refining his mechanics from the pocket, a process he’s already begun under the watchful eye of a noted quarterback whisperer on Harbaugh’s staff.
Improving his footwork and field vision are the necessary first steps toward Dart becoming more comfortable fitting the ball into tight windows. He struggled to do it as a rookie, when the former Ole Miss star saw seven passes batted down “at or behind the line of scrimmage,” and also posted a 15.5 Bad-Throw percentage, according to Pro Football Reference.
GettyDart still faces a lot of work to improve as a passer.
Becoming more confident hitting his targets will feed directly into Dart shedding a “guilty” habit that threatens to derail his progress. Sharper reads and quicker throws are the keys to Dart learning how to better protect himself, both in and out of the pocket.
There’s a lot for Dart still to learn, but Harbaugh has done his best to surround the 23-year-old with the right mentors to safeguard his development. Including new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who helped take the rough edges out of Patrick Mahomes’ raw talents for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Not everybody is convinced by Nagy, but the experienced play-caller does have the right skill-players to accelerate Dart’s progression into a more efficient passer.
Giants Have the Right Weapons to Improve QB
Getting Dart to make smarter decisions has to begin with giving him quicker throws. Preferably, to pass-catchers capable of amassing yards after the catch.
Fortunately, Nagy has two prime candidates for this key role, including Harbaugh favorite, Isaiah Likely. The former Baltimore Ravens tight end is a 6-foot-4, 241-pound roving playmaker with the height and bulk to consistently get open underneath from anywhere across a formation.
Those qualities can make Likely a bargain, despite the hefty contract he signed during free agency. Likely should also become somebody Dart looks to early and often for quick and easy completions.
It’s a similar story with change-of-pace running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. The third-year pro isn’t just the speedy complement to bruising workhorse Cam Skattebo.
Tracy is also a converted wide receiver with the versatility to be a much bigger factor in the passing game. Nagy spent years working with Chiefs’ boss Andy Reid, who has long used prolific pass-catchers out of the backfield.
These new-look Giants also acquired some diminutive wide receivers who can stretch the field from the slot. Including Calvin Austin III and a fellow new arrival who’s a Nagy favorite.
Dart is surrounded by what he needs, both on the field and on the sideline, to hasten his maturation into the more accurate, pro-level passer Harbaugh’s efficient brand of football demands.
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