Now that the New York Giants’ first preseason game is behind us, there’s an opportunity to digest and evaluate how the offense looked, specifically what we need to know about quarterback Jaxson Dart.

His performance, combined with two skill position players worth paying close attention to during the remaining weeks of the preseason, paints a compelling picture of where this 2026 Giants roster is heading under John Harbaugh.

Dart’s performance was better than the box score suggests

Dart had a decent, solid performance. He did not produce a ridiculous stat line, completing three passes on four attempts for 26 yards and a touchdown. But, he didn’t have an overwhelmingly bad game. Yet a wide range of narratives are being spun about the second-year quarterback, especially the continued belief that he doesn’t protect himself.

Considering what Giants media brought up during training camp, that Dart was a little slow to feel out the offense, that it was taking some time for him to get acclimated, that there had been some headaches, his performance was in line with what everybody was anticipating. There were going to be some shaky moments where either he or a teammate made a big mistake, and there were going to be some solid plays.

The touchdown he threw to wide receiver Malachi Fields was an awesome way to cap off his performance after all he really did before that was throw a couple of simple dump-offs to tight end Isaiah Likely. To be able to find Fields in that improvisational situation, and for Fields to rip the ball out of the air like the contested-catch red zone target he is, paints a picture for what this Giants offense could be.

Dart is a really good athlete. He is capable of improvising and creating for himself. With that on the table, New York can be quite dynamic because defenses have to account for the possibility of things dissolving. When opponents are constantly worried about Dart extending a play and turning it into a gigantic gain or a touchdown, it limits what they can do in preparation for whatever the Giants’ normal scheme might be. If a defense is on its heels, it makes things a lot easier for this team to run its offense at a consistent, steady pace.

He only threw four passes. The two connections with Isaiah Likely were decisive. He didn’t hesitate. He got the ball out quick. The first sack was his fault. His first read wasn’t there, he immediately panicked, didn’t have a second plan, and that resulted in him getting taken down. Tyrone Tracy is responsible for the second sack.

The medical tent situation needs to stop

Specific to the second sack, it is getting incredibly tiring, this belief that Dart does not protect himself, and there legitimately needs to be some sort of adjustment by the NFL’s medical policy. He wasn’t hit in the head on that play. He was hit hard. Getting hit hard is part of football. He doesn’t need to go in the medical tent.

In the context of this preseason game, it didn’t really matter because Devin Singletary and Jameis Winston came on the field and produced a big play off a screen. But in a regular season game, that could be a critical moment where Dart comes off the field for two plays and it derails a drive.

It almost feels like the NFL is so worried that Dart is going to suffer some sort of devastating injury that they’re being overly precautionary. He had so few pass attempts in this game, and it happened so quickly. I’m praying that this stops happening because it is becoming a distraction and could be a huge derailment for New York’s offense when the games start to count.

Tyrone Tracy is in trouble

When I went back and rewatched the offensive drives with Dart, one thing became clear. Tracy’s spot on this roster is no longer secure. The first unofficial depth chart listed Tracy as the first-string running back alongside Cam Skattebo, and I feel as though that is not going to be the case at the start of the season.

Tracy missing that block won’t be well received. This is a coaching staff where fundamentals are a critical focus. Harbaugh is going to be detail-oriented. You can’t be in a one-on-one situation with the potential to pick up a defender and not be looking at him.

Keep Malachi Fields on the field

I’m backtracking already. I was out on the Malachi Fields selection when it happened. I am getting pulled back in.

Here’s the critical takeaway: I do not care how close any of the veterans play to Fields. Calvin Austin, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney- any of these guys. I don’t care how closely any of them look in comparison to Fields. Keep Malachi Fields on the field as often as possible this season. The best thing for the Giants would be to get him on the field and keep him there to create more plays like he did with Dart, but more importantly, to build chemistry with his quarterback, build confidence, and develop.

If the Giants want to get the most out of this kid they took in the third round, he needs to be playing. This isn’t like a quarterback situation. Wide receivers should be out there. Let Fields go make some plays, make some mistakes, and learn what it takes to be the No. 1 target in this offense. There’s real potential that Fields ends up being a Tee Higgins-type producer. That would be the perfect ceiling for him. It’s wishful thinking, but I think there’s absolutely a possibility he catches six touchdown passes as a rookie. It’s not absurd. We watched it happen in the first preseason game.