Russell Wilson is Giants’ starting QB as camp begins, Daboll says

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants don’t have any quarterback controversy this summer. Russell Wilson is the clear-cut starting quarterback at they begin training camp, coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday.

“These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter,” Daboll said of the veteran quarterback.

The Giants signed Wilson and fellow quarterback Jameis Winston in free agency and selected Jaxson Dart in the first round of this year’s draft. They also have Tommy DeVito on the roster.

Dart’s development will be a focus throughout the season after the Giants traded back into the first round to take him with the 25th overall pick. When he takes the field in a regular season game will depend on his progress and Wilson’s performance.

In an ideal world for the Giants, Dart might not see the field much — or at all.

“I think there’s some real benefits from sitting and learning specifically from some of the guys in the room that have the experience that they have,” general manager Joe Schoen said. “But if the coaching staff at some point feels it’s right and he’s ready, then I’ll leave that up to them.”

This coaching staff has seen it work both ways. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was in Kansas City during Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie year. One of his primary tasks that season was to handle Mahomes’ development. Mahomes started one game (Week 17) as a rookie.

Schoen and Daboll were in Buffalo when Josh Allen took over in the second half of the season opener in 2018. The plan may have been to have him sit and learn, but it changed quickly.

Dart will begin the season behind Wilson. The rookie took mostly second-team snaps on the first day of training camp Wednesday and went 3 of 7 with his first pass being intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Dart did sneak in one first-team rep at the practice.

All of Wilson’s reps came with the Giants’ starters. It doesn’t change his approach knowing he’s their QB 1.

“I’m always just focused on being the best version of me every day,” Wilson said. “For me, my mentality is always to be the best in the world. I don’t know anything else other than that. Just having that mentality and helping our football team win, I think that’s the big thing that I’m really highly focused on is elevating our practice, elevating our play, elevating our mentality and having a championship-mentality daily.

“And I think that we’re on that path, but we got to keep doing it daily and it starts with me and my mindset and my energy and the way that I step into the huddle every day. And that’s what’s important.”

Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler, signed a one-year contract and quickly established himself as a leader and respected voice in the room during the team’s offseason program. He put together throwing sessions with different players during the offseason in San Diego, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Young star receiver Malik Nabers has his locker next to Wilson and already sees the benefits, aside from on the field where he hauled in three touchdown catches during Wednesday’s practice.

“I’ve been watching him a long time,” Nabers said. “To get great passes from him, to get to see his leadership, I understand now why he’s been doing it for so long. To have that on side of me in my locker room, it’s just an extra mentor that I have alongside me. So, I’m kind of taking that challenge up to move forward and be better myself. Hopefully we can do some great things this year.”

Wilson played last season for the Pittsburgh Steelersstarting 11 games. He threw for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 63.7% of his passes.

The Giants began last season with Daniel Jones as their starter. He was benched and eventually released before the end of the year.

That prompted the Giants to rebuild their quarterback room this offseason, beginning with the signings of Winston and Wilson, in that order. They then drafted Dart some six weeks later.

Wilson was signed with the intent on him being the starter. He didn’t sign as a free agent with the Giants the previous year with the team intent on giving Jones one more opportunity to prove he was their quarterback of the future.