Jameis Winston’s warning against making a quarterback change may fall on deaf ears. For the time being, John Harbaugh and the New York Giants will continue to give the nod to Winston, but JJ McCarthy is making progress. As the depth chart reflects, Winston will have a new backup, and fans across the NFL already know what quarterbacks say about letting their backups see the field.
“J.J. McCarthy could get up to speed and be the backup next Sunday vs. Washington. ‘I think that’s a possibility,’ John Harbaugh said. Believes it’s realistic and ‘on the table’,” as reported by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan on X.
After trading for McCarthy, many thought the Giants would truly put the QB1 job up for grabs. That hasn’t been the case. Winston is still the starting quarterback. Now, though, McCarthy is taking over the QB2 role, and that means he is only a bad interception or unfortunate setback away from becoming QB1 in the Big Apple.
Needless to say, the margin for error has become infinitely smaller for Winston after Harbaugh’s latest statement on the quarterback room in East Rutherford. With McCarthy now truly a viable option to play, it remains to be seen what will happen to Jake Haener, who might be headed for the practice squad once again in the 2026 NFL season.
J.J. McCarthy #18 of the New York Giants in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season.
- Jameis Winston
- JJ McCarthy
- Jake Haener
NY Giants had three active QBs in Week 4
Eyebrows were raised as the Giants kept three active quarterbacks on the gameday roster to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 of the NFL. After the game, Harbaugh revealed why McCarthy was active against the Cardinals, as the G-Men had some plays prepared for the former 10th overall pick to run. In the end, they never called those plays, but the option was still there.
However, McCarthy was the third QB on the depth chart on Sunday. He wasn’t a typical third-string signal-caller, though, as he wasn’t ruled inactive and was dubbed the emergency QB, but he was still behind Haener on the depth chart.
Winston’s QB1 job is at stake
Had something occurred to Winston, Haener would’ve filled in as the backup, not McCarthy, who had been in East Rutherford for less than a full week before kickoff.
This fact was likely lost on the fans at MetLife Stadium, who at times demanded a QB change that would have to wait as Winston responded amid the “JJ” (McCarthy) chants. Based on reports, Winston’s level would dictate whether he remains the Giants’ QB1. However, with Haener behind him, that was essentially a figure of speech. With McCarthy finally becoming the true backup, the evaluation period has truly begun for Winston.
Next week, when the Giants take on the Washington Commanders on the road, traveling fans may chant for the backup again if Winston gets off to a bad start, and then, there may actually be some fire behind the smoke.
Key takeaways
- Coach John Harbaugh said J.J. McCarthy could serve as the backup quarterback in Week 5.
- Jameis Winston remains the starting quarterback for the New York Giants.
- New York kept three active quarterbacks on its gameday roster against Arizona in Week 4.
