2024 was supposed to be special for the New York Giants. Celebrating their 100 years, the G-Men expected their Big Blues to present them with a memorable season. To be honest, the Giants did make it memorable, but not in a pleasant way. Finishing 3-14, the Giants were played off the park in almost all of their games. Part of the reason behind the Giants’ struggling all season came down to their QB issues. Daniel Jones was already on borrowed time last year. With a huge $160M price tag on his head, Jones was given repeated opportunities to prove his worth. However, midway through the season, the Giants had enough and benched him, leading to his subsequent release. So, to start afresh, the Giants brought in two veteran signal-callers, hoping they could be what the Giants had been missing for years.

First, the Giants signed Jameis Winston to a backup contract after the Browns released him following a one-year stint. For some time, it looked like Winston was going to be the day 1 starter in New York. However, the Giants soon brought in more competition, signing Russell Wilson on a veteran contract. After he, too, was released from the Steelers following a one-and-done season. The Giants have pitted two veteran signal callers against one another. Both, coming with a chip on their shoulder, will try to nail down the starting spot in the Big Apple.

As they turned up for the first day of the Giants’ offseason workout program, their coach, Brian Daboll, had a perfect plan for them. He asked two of them, who need no introduction, to introduce themselves. “I think that’s important for the quarterback position..I asked them to get up this morning in front of the offense and talk a little bit about their story, kind of where they came from and who is important to them in their life and what’s important to them in this game,” Daboll told the New York media.

And after they were done with their stories, Daboll claimed, “They both did a great job.” Well, for Daboll, this wasn’t just an introduction class for those two. It was an assessment for him to judge whether they possess the qualities to be a leader. “It’s really early in the process, but they understand what leadership is. They’ve done it in a number of places. I expect them to do that here,” Daboll added. Honestly, both Wilson and Winston have had different trajectories in their NFL career.

Standing at 5-foot-11, people always had concerns about Wilson’s ability to play QB. But squashing those early critics, Wilson blossomed into a Super Bowl-winning QB in just his sophomore year. A 10-time Pro Bowler, Wilson has been an established starter wherever he has played. As for Winston, he was a Heisman Trophy winner and a National Champion with Florida State before converting those honors into a No.1 overall pick in 2016. However, ever since his early pro career, Winston has been a backup everywhere.

Now on the wrong side of 30, Winston also brings a fair share of experience through a 10-year career. He may not have had the success that Russell Wilson had under center. But surely he can be a lively personality in the locker room for younger players. While Daboll may have found his leaders for the upcoming season, it seems he has also made up his mind on a rookie QB. And it’s not Shedeur Sanders.

Brian Daboll ignores Shedeur Sanders for an Oxford QB

Leading up to the draft in Wisconsin, the Giants have been linked to every possible QB prospect available. But the one they were favored to land was Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. However, after the fiery additions of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, those notions have since been dropped. Sanders ain’t high on New York’s wish list of QBs. As per Connor Hughes of SNY, Giants coach Brian Daboll is high on Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart. He seems to have left quite an impression on Daboll.

“Sources I touched base with said he’s someone Brian Daboll is high on..Among the qualities Daboll values in QBs is toughness. Dart has that,” Hughes wrote on X. Throughout this pre-draft process, Dart has been one of those QBs who have continued to move up the ranks. With his impressive size, arm talent, and ability to run the ball whenever an opportunity is there, Dart is set to benefit a lot from two veterans ahead of him in New York.

Having collected 81 passing TDs and 14 TDs on the ground in 3 years as a starter for Ole Miss, Dart does have the potential to develop into an NFL starting QB. But only time will tell whether the Giants will really get Dart as the third-string QB behind Russell and Jamies.