With Jaxson Dart done for the rest of the regular season, the Giants are suddenly staring at a quarterback problem much earlier than anyone expected in Week 3. For John Harbaugh, who is trying to make his first real impression as New York’s new head coach, the timing could hardly be worse.
That has pushed the organization into a search for answers for the 2026-27 season, and one name that has surfaced is J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy, who is with the Minnesota Vikings and not starting this season, has become part of the conversation as New York looks at possible options. But the buzz does not seem to be building toward an actual pursuit.
Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post made that clear on Wednesday, writing on X, "Never say never. But J.J. McCarthy is one available QB I cannot see #Giants pursuing."
Dan Duggan of The Athletic echoed that view in a feature published Thursday, saying he does not see McCarthy as a fit for the Giants. Duggan pointed to New York’s heavy scouting of McCarthy during the 2024 pre-draft process before the team selected wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth pick instead. As Duggan put it, "That type of pedigree sticks with a player, even when the start of his career has been as rocky as McCarthy's."
Duggan also noted that McCarthy is coming off a quarterback competition loss to Kyler Murray and is now third on the Vikings’ depth chart behind Carson Wentz. In his view, even a modest trade price would be too much, since "even parting with one of the 2027 sixth-rounders or a late-round pick in a future draft for McCarthy seems wasteful. He'd need to come in and learn a new offense on the fly during the season."
For now, the idea of McCarthy landing with the Giants does not look especially strong. It is still possible the situation changes, but right now the signs point the other way.
In Other News...
Rudy Gobert Just Became A Bigger Timberwolves Question Than Expected
Rudy Gobert is back around the Timberwolves after arriving from France and joining team workouts, which at least gives Minnesota a chance to get its defense anchored by the player who has been central to that identity. He remains eligible for a contract extension, and after signing a three-year extension in 2024, he has one year left on his current deal with a player option for the following season.
What makes this more delicate is the timing for a team still trying to protect its future flexibility while it develops a young core. Gobert is still a key piece, but there is no immediate push toward getting something done, leaving Minnesota to balance the value of keeping its veteran defensive force in place against the kind of cap planning that can shape the next several seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Face A Fascinating New Challenge With LaMelo Ball And Kuminga
Minnesotas offseason has already given Chris Finch a different kind of puzzle, and it starts with the way LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga can fit into the offense. Finch said in an interview that integrating new pieces should be less complicated than it has been in past seasons, thanks in part to Balls ability to organize the floor and the teams move toward a cleaner offensive structure. For a group trying to reset its identity, that kind of simplicity can matter as much as star power.
The other layer is internal growth, where Finch wants more steadiness from the younger and bench-heavy parts of the roster as camp approaches. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert were among the players he singled out for being part of that consistency push, which gives Minnesota a familiar sort of late-summer question: can the Wolves not only add talent, but also turn the whole rotation into something more reliable from night to night? [Read more 🡒]
Rudy Gobert Could Force The Wolves Into A Brutal Decision
The Timberwolves spent the offseason reshaping the roster around Rudy Gobert, making moves aimed at better fitting his game and their bigger-picture timeline. LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga arrived, while Julius Randle and Naz Reid were dealt away, all part of an effort to build a cleaner mix around the veteran center and keep Minnesota positioned to contend in the West.
Still, Goberts future does not feel fully settled. He has a player option on the final year of his contract, and what happens this season could leave the Wolves staring at a tough choice between bringing him back on another deal, preserving cap flexibility and continuing to balance his place with the growth of the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]