EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Brian Daboll remains coy about who exactly will be in uniform for the New York Giants in their preseason opener this weekend at Buffalo, other than to confirm the obvious that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will play.
Dart said Thursday that members of his family will be in Orchard Park, New York, on Saturday for his NFL exhibition debut. Neither he nor Daboll would reveal the plan for how much playing time the first-round pick out of Mississippi is expected to get.
“I’m just stoked for the opportunity,” Dart said. “This is just the start of a dream of mine, so excited to take that next step, be out there, compete at the highest level.”
Daboll said before practice that decisions would be made afterward and evaded numerous questions about whether the starters would see the field against the Bills, adding, “The guys that can play will play.” He ruled out rookie running back Cam Skattebo, who has been sidelined from team drills in training camp this week after an injury setback.
Top receiver Malik Nabers seems unlikely to play as the coaching and medical staffs manage his toe injury.
“That’s up to the coaching staff and what they want to do, what guys they want to put out there,” Nabers said Wednesday. “But I will continue to stay ready, so whatever they do I’m going to just be ready. When my name is called to go out there, I’m going out there.”
Russell Wilson, who has been repeatedly called the No. 1 quarterback, and the rest of the starters figure to get some snaps this month, even if it’s not right away.
Players on offense in recent days expressed a desire to play alongside Wilson some before the regular season starts Sept. 7 at Washington. Offensive lineman Greg Van Roten said there’s definitely a benefit to being together and knowing how a quarterback will operate from an important position once things are real.
“He’s never played with us in a real game: He’s never played behind our line, played with our backs, played with our receivers,” veteran receiver Darius Slayton said Tuesday. “I don’t think that you can minimize what those reps mean with all the new people. He’s been playing football for a long time, but things change when you go different places and you have different pieces.”
In the spotlight for the Giants along with Dart are No. 3 pick Abdul Carter and a couple of positions where the starting job is up for grabs. The main competitions are at right guard between Van Roten and converted tackle Evan Neal and at cornerback between Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott.
Carter is joining a pass rush that could be elite. But unlike Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence, the Penn State product has not yet played a game as a professional to show what he can do.
“Definitely a good opportunity for me to get my routine down coming into a football game,” Carter said. “My last game was, shoot, six months ago or something like that? So, it’s cool to come out here, get a routine down and play football again.”
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