Evan Barnes: Is J.J. McCarthy right quarterback to be Giants backup?
Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy warms up before a game against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13, 2026. Credit: AP/Bailey Hillesheim
In 2024, the Giants needed a quarterback in the draft because of Daniel Jones’ ACL injury. J.J. McCarthy was available at No. 6 overall, but the Giants chose receiver Malik Nabers instead.
It paid off. Nabers was a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year and had 167 yards in Week 2 last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
But two years after not taking McCarthy, the Giants have a quarterback need. And McCarthy, who wound up being selected at No. 10 in the 2024 draft, hopes to be a solution.
The Giants traded for the third-year quarterback on Monday, sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings. It was an obvious call after how poorly the offense has looked with Jameis Winston under center.
Since Winston replaced Jaxson Dart after his season-ending knee injury, the Giants have mounted 383 yards of offense in two games. They’ve averaged only 3.6 yards per play, and Winston has yet to crack 120 passing yards in a game.
The Giants can’t survive like that. Even if Winston has John Harbaugh’s confidence, Harbaugh is too experienced not to trust his eyes. That’s why this move was made.
“He’s a strong, young quarterback, has some experience in the National Football League,” Harbaugh said Monday about McCarthy. “Obviously, was a very high draft pick. Very talented player and is going to make us a stronger football team.”
That said, Winston will be the starter Sunday against the Cardinals. Harbaugh reaffirmed that and said McCarthy will be the No. 2 or 3 option.
But there are two questions. How long will that remain the case? And is McCarthy worth the risk and a draft pick?
Let’s review the tape. McCarthy is 23, four months older than Dart. He has mobility along with a decent arm and got a high recommendation from Harbaugh’s brother Jim, who coached McCarthy at Michigan.
A fresh start might do McCarthy good after he fell out of favor in Minnesota. The Giants also know him well from the pre-draft process.
Harbaugh said the front office thought of him last week as an option after Dart’s injury. Their evaluation matched with the good he saw while following McCarthy’s college career.
“He can throw it. He can run it. He can make plays,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of things he could do better from what he did, obviously, and we’re going to see where it goes from here.”
But keep watching the tape and there’s more concern. Through 10 starts — all in 2025 — McCarthy has never thrown for more than 250 yards. In fact, he has only two games with more than 200 yards despite being 6-4 as a starter.
His career numbers are 11 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions. His 57.6% completion percentage and 4.9% interception rate last season were the lowest among qualified players, according to Pro Football Reference. If the worry with Winston is accuracy and turnovers, McCarthy doesn’t ease that fear.
There’s also his medical history. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a meniscus injury. He missed seven games last year because of a high ankle sprain (five games), a concussion (one game) and a right hand fracture (one).
The Vikings also lost faith in McCarthy, demoting him to third-string quarterback after signing Carson Wentz and Kyler Murray this offseason. McCarthy tried to be a good soldier and keep his confidence despite that.
“All I’m thinking about is continuing the upward trajectory that I set for myself last season,” he told reporters in May.
Given that the Vikings gave up this quickly on McCarthy in year three for only a fifth-round pick, should the Giants be worried? Maybe. But they’re also desperate. Neediness lends to options that aren’t perfect on paper but can solve a problem.
The Giants now have only a first-, a second-, a third- and two sixth-round picks in the 2027 draft. It’s supposed to be a strong class, and the Giants have one fewer chance to fish in it.
That’s why McCarthy must work out if Winston keeps struggling. Even if Harbaugh is giving Winston time to get right, at least for now.
“Jameis will be the starter for as long as I can see into the future,” Harbaugh said. “But I don’t know. Nobody knows. What I do know is that we’re going to be playing this game against the Cardinals on Sunday and Jameis will be our starter, for sure.”
One more concern: The Giants need this to work for them to trade McCarthy for draft picks next offseason. This is merely a one-year rental; you can’t keep two quarterbacks on rookie deals and expect anyone to believe Dart’s job is safe.
If McCarthy plays well? They’ll get good value for him. If he doesn’t, it might be another mark on a lost season.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
