The New York Giants are sorting through their first extended looks at quarterback J.J. McCarthy after his arrival, and the early reads from the coaching staff and skill-position players have been measured but favorable as he compresses months of installation into a short window.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said McCarthy has handled the transition well. Nagy acknowledged he had not done extensive pre-draft or pre-trade work on the quarterback and leaned on outside feedback that came back positive. The real evaluation, he said, has come in the last 48 hours, with McCarthy trying to absorb the foundation of the offense that teammates built across OTAs.
"He's done a great job with it. We're impressed, it's impressive," Nagy told reporters on Thursday.
"But at the same point in time, too, we also understand that it can be a lot, so there's a little bit of a balance."
Nagy's first in-person view came a day earlier. He described McCarthy as a little taller than expected, with a natural release and a ball that comes out cleanly. Accuracy has shown up, though Nagy expects continued work on footwork, timing, and the smaller practice details that veterans treat as routine.
"I think he's going to keep growing and working on his footwork, his timing," Nagy said. "Where does he go during practice? The little things that we all take for granted. But from him as a person, it was good to see."
Running back Cam Skattebo framed the addition around roster need. The Giants brought McCarthy in for quarterback depth, and Skattebo said the early scout-team work has looked the part of an NFL quarterback getting his arm loose and operating with purpose.
"He looks good, man," Skattebo said. "He's a quarterback in the NFL, and I feel like no matter who you see come in here, it's going to look the same. It's going to look good. He knows what he's doing, for sure."
Wide receiver Malik Nabers has a longer baseline. He faced McCarthy in a 7-on-7 All-American setting before college and remembered the arm strength then. That trait still stands out, and Nabers said the quarterback is already showing confidence in team settings.
"He's catching on quick. He's catching on quick," Nabers said. "He's out there throwing touchy footballs. I feel like he has confidence out there. He's targeting receivers pretty well."
The shared theme is competence under a tight clock. McCarthy has looked comfortable enough to draw notice from Nagy, Skattebo, and Nabers, while the staff is still treating the sample as early and the install as heavy.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: J.J. McCarthy drawing early notice as Giants compress his install
