J.J. McCarthy Joins the Giants with an Unclear Path to Being Their Starting Quarterback
Winston said he welcomes the rookie quarterback as the Giants keep him as the starter and weigh a future change.
- The New York Giants acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a fifth-round pick on Monday, though head coach John Harbaugh confirmed Jameis Winston remains starter for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.
- Season-Ending knee surgery forced starter Jaxson Dart to miss the remainder of 2026, prompting the Giants to seek quarterback depth rather than signing a veteran backup, making McCarthy a long-term developmental asset.
- While Winston carries a 22.9 QBR—lowest among 30 qualifying quarterbacks—offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is accelerating McCarthy's learning curve through scout-team duties and intensive terminology downloads.
- Winston welcomed the competition, inviting McCarthy to join his workout routine and saying, "I think he's a good kid, and I'm happy to have anyone that's my teammate."
- Harbaugh left the door ajar for future changes, telling reporters, "Our design is to be 1-0 next week," while framing the trade as a developmental move to build quarterback depth long-term.
37 Articles
37 Articles
The Record
NY Daily NewsJ.J. McCarthy trade puts pressure on Giants QB Jameis Winston
John Harbaugh said he has not spoken to starting quarterback Jameis Winston about the ramifications of adding J.J. McCarthy to the Giants’ quarterback room. “The answer to that is no,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. That’s probably because the truth is self-evident: McCarthy will take over at quarterback for the Giants (2-1) at some point. And it will happen sooner if Winston doesn’t start playing better Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals …
“I’m Willing to Groom”: Jameis Winston Opens Up on Giants Bringing In J.J. McCarthy
The New York Giants were in need of a quarterback with Jaxson Dart sidelined and found an answer in J.J. McCarthy, who was previously with the Minnesota Vikings. The young quarterback gets a fresh start, but it also complicates the position of veteran QB and current QB1 Jameis Winston, who is holding down the fort […]
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