Jaxson Dart has a playoff-sized target in mind, but the Giants are treating that as hope, not a calendar date.
General manager Joe Schoen said Tuesday that Dart is back around the team and has been taking part in quarterback meetings. The catch is that the injured quarterback is still on crutches and not yet putting weight on the leg, so he remains a long way from actually getting back on the field. Schoen said Dart believes he could return if New York makes the playoffs, but that was presented as Dart’s own mindset, not a medical green light.
That gap matters. Sitting in meetings and being ready to absorb NFL contact are two very different things, and the Giants know better than to blur them together. Dart can stay plugged into the offense and keep his spirits up while the medical staff decides what he can handle next.
Dart went on injured reserve in September after getting hurt against the Rams. Since then, New York has adjusted its quarterback room, acquiring J.J.
McCarthy from Minnesota. McCarthy got the start in the overtime win in Houston, while Jameis Winston is still on the roster as an experienced backup option.
Schoen described Dart as positive and engaged with teammates during the team’s official press conference. The meetings help him remain part of the group while he can’t practice, but they do not say anything about how quickly his leg will heal or when he’ll be cleared for more.
For now, the Giants have to live in the present. That means leaning on the quarterbacks who are available instead of building the offense around a hoped-for January comeback. If McCarthy keeps playing well and the team stays in the mix, New York can revisit the conversation later, once Dart’s recovery is clearer.
Schoen offered no date for Dart to begin bearing weight, returning to practice or getting into games. He also didn’t promise the Giants would reach the postseason. Until those things are settled, any hard prediction is ahead of the facts.
Dart’s future still matters to New York. Right now, though, his optimism is just that - a sign of where his head is, not proof that the rehab has moved fast enough to match it.
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