Adam Thielen didn’t waste much time telling everyone what he thinks of J.J. McCarthy’s biggest weapon.
On "Airing it Out," the former Vikings receiver praised the Giants quarterback in a way that should catch New York’s attention.
""He throws the best deep ball that I've seen in a long time. It's incredible.""
Adam Thielen on J.J. McCarthy
Thielen added, "He's a gamer. Everyone loves him."
That kind of endorsement matters because the Giants are betting on McCarthy to bring more than just hope after his rough stretch in Minnesota. He hasn’t exactly matched the pre-draft buzz, and the Vikings moved on from him after less than a full season as a starter. Now New York is giving him a fresh chance to reset things.
The upside is easy to see. McCarthy can make the kind of high-end throws that change a game, and the Giants already noticed it after just one outing. Malik Nabers said after practice this week, "Very good arm talent, throws a great ball.
But the deep-ball talent comes with a price. In 2025, McCarthy ranked 37th out of 50 quarterbacks in EPA per play on passes 20 or more yards downfield. On those throws, he was 34th in on-target rate and 43rd in completion rate, and he threw five interceptions.
Even with those numbers, he still ranked ninth in the NFL in the percentage of his throws that went 20+ yards downfield.
So the Giants know what they’re signing up for: plenty of aggressive shots, some ugly misses, and the occasional play that makes the whole thing worth it.
That’s where the contrast with Jameis Winston comes in. The veteran no longer gives New York the kind of arm strength McCarthy brings to the table. Winston once had a cannon, but the Giants have seen too many underthrown balls this season, and those mistakes have helped stall drives.
McCarthy may not be as advanced as Winston when it comes to processing or command, but his physical tools are the better bet. He can attack parts of the field Winston simply can’t reach right now.
There’s another layer, too. McCarthy’s athleticism gives the Giants access to quarterback-run concepts that Winston couldn’t really support. That opens the door for more of the playbook New York was using with Jaxson Dart before his injury.
For the Giants, that combination of arm strength and movement makes the choice pretty clear. McCarthy’s chaos may come with mistakes, but it also gives them something Winston never could.
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One of the more intriguing options is LSU safety Ty Benefield, whose hybrid safety-slot skill set is the kind of flexible profile teams covet when they want multiple answers in the secondary. Tennessee defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam is also climbing quickly, and the buzz around him suggests he could be in the conversation as the first player at his position selected. For a Giants team always weighing how to add speed and toughness to the front and back ends of the defense, both names are the sort that can move from background chatter to real draft-board discussion fast. [Read more 🡒]