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Sep 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9)warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
The New York Giants acquired J.J McCarthy in a trade earlier this week in order to shore up their quarterback depth.
Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury has forced backup Jameis Winston into service, which is no means a death sentence for any team’s playoff hopes as the veteran has proven himself very capable. The Giants snagged McCarthy as an insurance policy amid the second-year player’s struggles in Minnesota.
MORE: Vikings failed J.J. McCarthy and Kevin O’Connell has explaining to do
While the move may not have any actual impact if Winston remains healthy and productive, McCarthy seeing action could create a unique scenario for New York.
Reaction to Giants trading for J.J. McCarthy
ESPN’s Dan Graziano dove into the situation on Tuesday’s Get Up. And it’s safe to say he’s not a big fan of the arrangement.
"I hate it. I think it's a terrible idea for the Giants."@DanGrazianoESPN weighs in on the Giants acquiring J.J. McCarthy 👀 pic.twitter.com/tQy3eeUawd
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 29, 2026
“I hate it,” he said. “I think it’s a terrible idea for the Giants. I honestly think this is a move that could cause more problems than it fixes. In your room you have a 23-year-old starter who just got hurt who has not established himself in the league yet … Now you bring in a guy who is the same age as him who was drafted higher, who is going to make more money than than he is next year.”
The NFL analyst went on to explore the downside of McCarthy coming in and playing well, which might cause a different problem for the franchise to navigate.
“What is the upside,” Graziano asked. “If he plays well, now you go into the offseason with a controversy with your starting quarterback who is not all the way there yet in terms of his confidence and is now looking saying ‘I gotta rehab my injury and you just brought in a guy my age who plays the same position.'”
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) looks to throw the ball during a game against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) looks to throw the ball during a game against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium, Sep 27, 2026, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
These are reasonable concerns. But there is an upside. The upside of the Giants finding a quarterback who can serve as their long-term starter. Or the Giants having the option of McCarthy being a more valuable trade asset to use in the offseason.
For an organization trying to get back to winning ways, difficult conversations and healthy competition sounds a lot better than floundering around for another year.