J.J. McCarthy has gone from trade chatter to a genuine name in the Giants’ quarterback search.
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback had already been floating through rumor mill territory for weeks, but the noise has picked up after the New York Giants lost Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury last Monday. With the Giants now trying to sort out a quarterback room that includes Jameis Winston and Jake Haener, McCarthy has emerged as one of the options they’re weighing.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported that McCarthy is among the quarterbacks New York is considering. The report said the Giants “have been doing legwork on McCarthy, making sure they can make an informed decision.”
Rapoport added that New York is “expected to acquire another quarterback probably early this week,” and the final call could depend on how Winston performs against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
McCarthy isn’t the only name in the mix. The Giants are also looking at free-agent Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew II of the Arizona Cardinals, Mac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers, and Justin Fields of the Kansas City Chiefs, according to the report.
The cost to get each one varies, and that matters here. Jones would likely be the priciest option in terms of draft capital, with the report suggesting the 49ers would probably want at least one future Day 2 pick to part with Brock Purdy’s backup.
Garoppolo, by contrast, would be the simplest move because he’s a free agent and can sign anywhere. He made a little more than $3 million with the Los Angeles Rams last season.
Minshew and Fields would likely be available for a late Day 3 pick, though both are under contract through the 2026 season.
McCarthy sits in a different bucket. He’s still on his rookie deal, and that deal includes a fifth-year option, which means he could remain under contract through the 2029 offseason.
So if the Giants are looking for a quarterback who could still be around beyond 2026, McCarthy stands out as the one who fits that timeline best.
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