DART prepares for “User Representative”
When talking to the media on Thursday morning, Daboll won't share which players will or will not deal with the bill. An exception he did was rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, the head coach confirmed that he would make his NFL debut in Buffalo on Saturday.
Due to the depth of the Giants’ quarterback position between Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, Dart may not see the field once the regular season begins. That's part of the reason the rookie quarterback is looking forward to Saturday as he absorbs as much game rep as possible.
“It's just the beginning of my dreams, so I'm happy to take the next step, there, compete at the highest level,” Dart said. “My family will be there, so I'm happy to be on this journey with me, yes, I think it's true. I'm just shocked for the opportunity…
“I’ll definitely play there, so (I) will only take advantage of my rep and opportunities.”
Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka told the media Wednesday that he just wanted to see Dart run and play free on Saturday. Dart reiterated the message the next day, admitting that it might not be a perfect performance, which is good.
“I'm just focused on getting ready,” the rookie quarterback said. “Obviously, I'm going to go out on the court and compete at the highest level, I'm going to do my best, I'm going to do good things, I'm going to make mistakes, I get it. We can't solve it, it's a little different, so it would be nice to get these real-person reps and win that trust.
“I don’t feel like I need to go there and think, ‘I need to prove that. I need to prove that.’ I want to be my game in my own space. Or, “I want to prove that.” “How will I keep our team at its best to win?”
Veterinarian talks with rookies before debut
To play before your first NFL game, it can be frustrating for the rookie. To hit any tension ahead of his debut, Dabor met with the rookie class, where he had several veterans on the team talking to the first-year players about what to expect this Saturday.
“Two days ago, I had a meeting with those guys and there were a lot of vets talking to them about the first game they were in,” Dabor said. “All kinds of people – maybe a guy in the second year, someone who played for a long time, they gave them a good messaging. Again, football is football. But I think it's important for the guys who actually went there, it's important that those guys who actually went out and remember their first game. Usually, you still remember your first game.
Quarterback Russell Wilson, defensive winger Dexter Lawrence, outside linebacker Brian Burns and receiver Malik Nabers, have quarterback Russell Wilson and the spokes veteran. Although these players have different experiences in the first NFL game, they all reiterated similar messages.
“The point is football,” Dart said. “Obviously, you're taking the next step, so it's more advanced, with just a few details, schematics and other things. At the end of the day, it's the game you played as a kid, so just enjoy it. Go to the game, don't leave any regrets in the fields, don't let the moment bear gently, and there's no light that's too bright.”
“They all came in and talked to all the rookies and just told them about the pre-season experience, what they went through, what they did to help them,” Carter added. “So we just took it from them and tried to apply it to our pre-season.”