Immediate roster response to Dart’s season-ending knee injury
After starting quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury in Week 2 that is expected to keep him out for at least the regular season, and days after coach John Harbaugh said the team was weighing “all options” at the position, the Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft.
Harbaugh had said last week that Jameis Winston would remain the team's starter even if the Giants added another passer. The move, however, gives New York a younger alternative behind Winston should the veteran fill-in’s on-field struggles continue.
What McCarthy’s track record brings to a thin market
McCarthy arrives with clear limitations and a mixed résumé. He was the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft and has missed time to significant knee injuries — including a season-ending knee injury in August 2024 — that have interrupted his development. He started just 10 games last season after injuries cost him time.
When on the field in 2025 McCarthy’s numbers were substandard. He posted a 36.1 QBR (38th of 45 qualifying quarterbacks), recorded a minus-5% pass rate over expected, threw interceptions on 4.2% of attempts, was sacked on 9.4% of dropbacks and had a 1.8% fumble rate. During training camp this year he lost the Vikings’ starting competition to Kyler Murray and then lost the backup job to Carson Wentz.
ESPN described McCarthy’s pro career as having “gone poorly so far,” language that underlines the risk New York is taking by banking on upside rather than proven steadiness.
Why the Giants made the call — and the trade’s limitations
The cost was relatively modest — a pick in exchange for a former top‑10 selection — and the lack of more inspiring alternatives factored into the decision.
USA Today projects the move gives New York a “starting-capable option” if Winston continues to struggle, and notes the deal provides at least some hope in the short term. The same analysis cautions that McCarthy is unlikely to produce a career renaissance in the span of a dozen games; coordinator Matt Nagy may need to alter his play-calling to protect against McCarthy’s inconsistencies and to put him in positions to succeed.
The transaction also has longer organizational effects: the Giants now enter next year with only five draft picks, a cost that USA Today says “can’t be fully written off” even if it remains modest.
In short, New York has bought an inexpensive, high-variance option. The acquisition answers the immediate need for competition and depth behind Winston, but it leaves the Giants dependent on coaching adjustments and the hope that McCarthy’s draft pedigree can translate into steadier pro play before the season’s end.
