The New York Giants were embarrassed by the Washington Commanders in their season opener, and considering how poorly Russell Wilson played, the calls for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart have already begun.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll has already said that Wilson will likely be starting against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, but if Wilson lays another egg, the Dart noise will get louder and louder.
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However, there could be one major factor in determining when Dart will see the field: the status of left tackle Andrew Thomas.
Thomas missed Sunday’s action while recovering from foot surgery, and his timetable remains up in the air. Jacob Robinson of The Athletic seems to believe that Dart’s debut could be tied to Thomas’ return.
“My guess is that Brian Daboll waits at least until stalwart left tackle Andrew Thomas, who missed Sunday’s game, is healthy,” wrote Robinson.
New York’s offensive line struggled mightily against the Commanders and has been an issue for years running. However, Thomas — when healthy — is one of the game’s best at his position and was named a Second-Team All-Pro in 2022.
The problem is that Thomas has played in a grand total of 16 games over the last couple of seasons, and his skill won’t do him or the Giants much good if he can’t stay on the gridiron.
It definitely makes sense for New York to wait for Thomas when it comes to Dart. While Wilson went an atrocious 17-for-37 in Week 1, his offensive line did him no favors, and it’s hard to imagine that Dart would have fared much better under such constant duress.
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Dart looked brilliant in the preseason, but the preseason is, well, the preseason. Regular-season action is entirely different, so it’s wise for the Giants to remain cautious with their first-year signal-caller.
New York traded up to nab Dart with the 25th overall pick of the NFL Draft back in April.
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