The Giants knew they had to do something at quarterback after losing Jaxson Dart for the 2026 season after Week 2, and they went out and landed J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings.
The price was a 2027 fifth-round pick, a deal that drew some skepticism around the league. Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reported that some viewed it as an overpay, but there’s another way to look at it: New York may have bought itself a low-cost trial run that could pay off later.
"Sources I spoke to around the league ahead of the trade anticipated McCarthy would be dealt for a sixth-round pick, so a fifth was better than expected for new Vikings GM Nolan Teasley," Jones writes.
That does make the Giants’ offer look a touch rich compared with what some around the league expected. But Jones also pointed to the bigger wrinkle in the deal.
"One part of the math I think some people are missing: There's a good chance New York can get its fifth back next offseason," Jones writes. "... As long as McCarthy doesn't play poorly this year, the option to trade him next offseason will be there."
That’s the key for New York. If McCarthy is merely serviceable, there’s a real chance another team will take a swing at him for the same kind of price, which would allow the Giants to recoup the pick they spent. In that case, the move would function almost like a free rental.
And if McCarthy plays well, the upside is even better. New York could potentially get more than a fifth-rounder back. Even if he doesn’t light it up and the best the Giants can do is a sixth-round pick, the team would still have made a worthwhile gamble on a quarterback who needed a fresh start.
Dart remains the quarterback of the future, and Jameis Winston is signed through 2027, so a McCarthy trade next offseason is already very much in play. That’s why this deal can still end up looking like a steal for the Giants instead of an overpay: they may not lose the draft capital at all, and they could even come out ahead depending on how McCarthy performs.
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