After losing quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season due to a knee injury, the Giants are indeed adding to the room. According to FOX Sports insider Jay Glazer, the Giants will be trading for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Selected No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy logged just 10 career starts in Minnesota. After losing the starting competition to former Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, he fell to third on the Vikings' depth chart before being traded to the Giants.
After losing the backup job to veteran Carson Wentz, McCarthy became one of the more intriguing names on the trade market. With Dart sidelined, the Giants quickly targeted McCarthy to reinforce their quarterback room behind Jameis Winston. The former Michigan Wolverine and national champion has faced a bumpy path since entering the league as a top-10 pick.
After losing his entire rookie season to a torn meniscus, he struggled to find his footing as a full-time starter last year. While McCarthy went 6-4 as a starter last season, his lack of production was hard to overlook given Minnesota's elite offensive supporting cast. He completed just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, throwing 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions while posting a 35.6 QBR.
At just 23 years old and with only 10 starts under his belt, McCarthy could still showcase plenty of upside in the right environment. For the Giants, he represents a low-risk reclamation project while they continue to rely on Winston’s veteran leadership for the time being. Head coach John Harbaugh was adamant earlier in the week that the team would explore adding to the quarterback room.
Adding even more intrigue: McCarthy now goes from playing under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan to playing for his brother now in New York. General manager Joe Schoen did extensive homework on McCarthy during the 2024 draft process, making this a target long in the making. By pulling off the trade, New York secures a high-upside option to keep the quarterback room versatile while staying competitive.
