The New York Giants are crossing their fingers that Jaxson Dart is the long-awaited successor to Eli Manning. While he won’t be handed the starting job right away, the team is counting on him to eventually step up and validate their decision to trade up for him in the first round of this year’s draft.
But before Dart can succeed, the Giants must fix one glaring issue — the offensive line. It was a major weakness during Daniel Jones’ tenure, and many fear history could repeat itself. According to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, the most crucial position battle for the Giants is at right guard. The depth there is thin, and Ballentine bluntly noted, “They might not have any good options at right guard.”
There is some hope, though. Veteran Greg Van Roten brings experience, but at 35, there’s concern about whether he can still perform at a high level. Former first-rounder Evan Neal, who has struggled at tackle, may get a fresh start inside at guard. Fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow has potential, too — B/R’s Brandon Thorn even gave him a third-round grade.
Jaxson Dart
If one of those players can solidify the right guard spot, the line could shape up to support a much more competent offense in 2025. Otherwise, Dart might get a crash course in playing under pressure.
The silver lining? Dart won’t be thrown into the fire just yet — veteran Russell Wilson is expected to start. If the line can’t hold up for Wilson, it’s better to keep Dart on the sidelines and avoid derailing his development early.
With any luck, this won’t be an issue at all. But for now, the Giants’ hopes for their rookie quarterback are tied directly to whether their offensive line — especially the right guard spot — can stop being a liability.
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