The New York Giants made waves in the 2025 NFL Draft when they traded up to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 overall pick. With veteran Russell Wilson already on the roster, the move instantly sparked speculation about how short his leash might be. One former NFL quarterback believes the answer is simple — and not in Wilson’s favor.
Chase Daniel Warns Giants Have Short Leash on Russell Wilson After Drafting Jaxson Dart
On a May 9 segment of FS1’s “The Facility,” former journeyman QB Chase Daniel delivered a blunt assessment of Dart’s selection for Wilson’s job security.
“When the Giants traded up to draft Jaxson Dart, I believe Russell Wilson’s leash was shorten.”
— @ChaseDaniel pic.twitter.com/mvDYhrTKZg
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) May 9, 2025
“The second Jaxson Dart got drafted and the New York Giants traded up for him, I believe that Russell Wilson’s leash was shortened,” Daniel said. “It’s going back to the old adage … look, if you take a quarterback in the first round, he’s gonna play and he’s gonna play right away.”
Daniel backed up his claim with a telling stat: Since 2020, quarterbacks selected in the first round typically become starters by Week 3. His takeaway? “[Wilson’s] leash – three weeks.”
Daniel, who spent over a decade in the league as a backup, isn’t an insider within the Giants’ building. But like many observers, he’s watching this quarterback situation closely. His opinion, while not gospel, mirrors a broader debate about how soon teams should hand the keys to their rookie signal-callers.
Dart’s draft stock surged after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. While the annual event offers a valuable platform for showcasing talent, it’s not necessarily where athletes consistently reach their full potential. Some players may shine, while others struggle to translate their college performance to this setting.
Leading up to the Senior Bowl, Dart was often projected as a Day 2 pick, and even now, he enters the league with more questions than answers. Top quarterback prospect Cam Ward was off the board 24 picks earlier. New York (and the several other teams that passed on him) didn’t want to touch Shedeur Sanders with a ten-foot pole. That essentially left Dart ripe for the picking at No. 25.
Daniel believes Dart will start “right away,” but the chances of that happening with a veteran of Wilson’s stature are not likely. Expecting him to leapfrog a seasoned veteran like Wilson out of the gate is a tall order. Dart would have to blow him out of the water at training camp.
Even then, training camp and game day action are two vastly different animals. There’s very little pressure real from defenders in practice, and it’s impossible to replicate what it will truly be like for Dart on Sundays. The rookie would have to dominate to justify starting Week 1, especially with jobs on the line. Wilson, now 36, is no longer in his prime, but his experience and command of the huddle are significant advantages.
The Giants would be foolish to start Dart out of the gate. New York will have egg on its face if they do and he flounders. Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen enter the 2025 season under heavy scrutiny. If they roll the dice too early with Dart and it backfires, they may not get another chance to correct it.
As Daniel put it, “The safest way, in my opinion, for Brian Daboll to keep his job is to have some success with Jaxson Dart. It’s a hope in that fan base. It’s a hope in that organization … if Russell doesn’t turn the football over, it’s gonna be harder for him to lose his job. But if you don’t win eight, nine games with Russell Wilson, you’re getting fired. Every one of you. The owner [John Mara] is cleaning house. Daboll’s out, Joe Schoen is out, everyone’s out.”
The same could be said if Dart plays and isn’t the guy they thought they drafted in the first round. Everyone in the Big Apple is on thin ice. The pressure is undeniable — and whether it’s Wilson or Dart under center, the Giants have no margin for error.