With starting quarterback Jaxson Dart out for the regular season, the New York Giants seem to be in the market for a new starter. And some breaking news on Monday has given us a potential answer to who that may be.
Reports on Monday revealed that the Minnesota Vikings are trading former first-round NFL Draft pick J.J. McCarthy to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick. McCarthy lost the starting job in Minnesota to Kyler Murray this season after starting 10 games for the Vikings last season.
Trade! The Vikings are sending QB J.J. McCarthy to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports. With Jaxson Dart out for the regular season, New York adds another young QB, while Minnesota gains flexibility and McCarthy gets
a fresh start. pic.twitter.com/McHb5YcEB0
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 28, 2026
Can J.J. McCarthy be the solution as QB1 for the Giants?
Whether or not McCarthy is the right choice here is a definite concern if you're a Giants fan. McCarthy went 6-4 last season as a starter, completing 57.6% of his passes and tossing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. That's certainly not a recipe for success as a starter in the NFL. Keep in mind, he not only didn't win the starting job over Kyler Murray, but he was named third-string for the Vikings behind Carson Wentz this season. Not a good sign if you want him to be your starter.
Injury concerns also remain. McCarthy has been in the league for two full seasons before this year, and has already dealt with a torn meniscus, high-ankle sprain, and hairline fracture in his throwing hand. Early signs suggest he may be too injury-prone to sustain NFL success, and his hand injury at the end of last year could explain why he wasn't starting this season, since it ended his year when it happened.
Is Jameis Winston not QB1 moving forward?
The news suggests the franchise might not view Jameis Winston as a legitimate starting quarterback for the rest of the season. Winston did pick up a win as the starter for the Giants on Sunday, as he led New York to a 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.
However, Winston wasn't asked to do much for the Giants in the win, as he went 14-for-22 for 118 yards and scored no touchdowns. That's 8.4 yards per completion, and 5.3 yards per attempt – not great. And the week prior, he looked absolutely dismal against the Rams in relief of Dart, going 11-for-27 for 111 yards and one interception. So it's not surprising the Giants might look for a different answer.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Will shocking J.J. McCarthy trade solve the Giants' QB crisis?
