What Jaxson Dart’s injury means for the Giants, and perhaps the NFL
Jaxson Dart’s second season in the NFL has officially come to an early end.
The quarterback suffered a knee injury on Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, and while the early prognosis was that Dart had avoided a significant injury — and the team reportedly had to take his jersey away as he tried to re-enter the game — reports out of New York worsened on Tuesday. After an MRI was conducted on his injured left knee, reports surfaced that the quarterback might have suffered a more significant injury, and could face season-ending surgery.
That has now been confirmed.
According to multiple reporters, Dart suffered “damage to his MCL, PCL, and meniscus,” as a result of the hit on Monday Night Football. While his ACL is intact, the meniscus is the main issue, and he will have knee surgery that will “lead to a full recovery but end his 2026 season.”
So, where do the Giants go from here?
The Giants are one of the few teams that only have a pair of quarterbacks on the active roster, Dart and Jameis Winston. Winston stepped in for Dart on Monday night and completed just 11-of-27 passes for 111 yards and an interception, and that turnover ended what was a promising scoring drive.
New York also has Jake Haener on the practice squad, who could be elevated to the active roster.
Also, consider this: Should Winston not start the rest of the way, that would make it the fourth consecutive season in which the Giants used at least three starting quarterbacks.
But the bigger questions focus on what other moves could follow, and how Dart’s injury impacts New York’s 2027 plans. Would New York try and swing a trade for another quarterback, perhaps J.J. McCarthy, who has fallen out of favor with the Minnesota Vikings? And what about the 2027 NFL Draft? While results to date have been mixed from the highly anticipated 2027 quarterback class — although both Drew Mestemaker and Trinidad Chambliss have impressed so far — with Dart now missing time in a second consecutive season, the Giants could at least consider addressing the position yet again.
More likely, however, is a decision where the Giants look to run it back with Dart and build around him, rather than sever the relationship with their young quarterback.
As such, it could be a situation where they become an enticing spot for a trade in the first round, for a team with an even bigger need at the position. Both the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets could fit this category, and both teams have multiple first-round picks for a potential move up in the draft. Cleveland has a pair of picks (their own and one from the Myles Garrett trade) while the Jets have three: Their own, one from the Sauce Gardner trade to the Indianapolis Colts, and another via either the Green Bay Packers or the Dallas Cowboys, due to the Quinnen Williams trade.
This is a situation that mirrors what is happening in Washington with Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. With Daniels dislocating his left (non-throwing) elbow again, the Commanders could also be in a situation where they face a decision at the top of the draft next year, and perhaps either address the position themselves, or become an enticing spot for a trade for another team that needs a quarterback.
Either way, Dart’s injury is a situation that could impact more teams than the Giants, and impact more than just the 2026 campaign.