The New York Giants updated their quarterback depth chart by trading for J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings. Now, John Harbaugh actually has options to choose from before naming a starting quarterback. For the time being, though, Harbaugh confirmed Jameis Winston’s Week 4 status even after the ugly win against the Tennessee Titans. A new report reveals that won’t change with McCarthy’s arrival, at least not right away in the 2026 NFL season.
“The Giants’ addition of JJ McCarthy is viewed as a move to bolster the backup position behind Jameis Winston, not to supplant him,” Jordan Schultz reported on X. “New York did not feel confident in its options behind Winston and could not afford to go another 15 games without upgrading at QB2.“
After losing Jaxson Dart for the regular season (at least), the Giants rolled into Week 3 of the NFL with Winston at QB1 and Jake Haener, who had been on the practice squad until Dart went down injured in Los Angeles, as the lone backup. On paper, the Giants had two quarterbacks, but in Harbaugh’s mind, it was Winston-or-nothing. That was made clear as New York waived Haener as soon as the trade for McCarthy went through. If he clears waivers, Haener will return to New York’s P-squad.
Clearly, Big Blue needed to bring in a new face, and McCarthy, as scrutinized as his play in the NFL has been, is one Harbaugh may trust and a young backup who can keep New York hopeful even if Winston goes down.
J.J. McCarthy will be New York’s backup quarterback upon arrival.
Winston is still QB1, but will face competition
McCarthy may not have proven himself valuable enough to rip Winston’s starting job right out of his hands upon arrival, but he’s shown he can learn fast and has had success in a Harbaugh-minded offense before. Not in the NFL, which is a different beast, but not so long ago either—just three years ago with Jim Harbaugh at the University of Michigan.
Indeed, Winston will remain the starter, but McCarthy’s presence shortens his leash and reminds him there is now a true battle to be the signal-caller in New York. If Winston can’t find his footing and he isn’t bailed out by the defense, he might lose his starting job in the blink of an eye.
For the time being, McCarthy has work to do learning the offense’s playbook and settling into life in New York. Winston’s role isn’t at stake, but that may change fast. The Giants’ hope remains unchanged, even after watching Dart go down injured and Brian Burns reportedly suffer another serious injury at MetLife Stadium.
J.J. McCarthy’s stats in NFL
So far in his career, McCarthy has played 10 games, all of them in the 2025 NFL season. He’s completed 140 of 243 pass attempts (57.6%) for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
His mobility is a big part of his skill set and something fans in New York may look forward to, as he is more in the middle between Dart and Winston in that aspect. He’s rushed 37 times for 181 yards and four touchdowns. Ball security is something Harbaugh will have to preach, though, as McCarthy has fumbled three times before.
Selected by the Vikings with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy didn’t meet expectations in the Twin Cities. His time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes started off great, with many jumping the gun and calling him the team’s long-awaited franchise quarterback, but things spiraled out of control fast. Still, McCarthy is young, and there is nothing New York loves more than redemption arcs.
Key takeaways
- New York acquired J.J. McCarthy to serve as backup support rather than an immediate replacement.
- Jameis Winston will retain the starting job for the Giants’ Week 4 matchup.
- Through 10 career NFL games, McCarthy has recorded 1,632 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.
