J.J. McCarthy trade: Giants acquire quarterback from Minnesota Vikings

Posted by Admin September 28, 2026 NFL

The New York Giants are acquiring quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings, per a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Per Jordan Schultz, the Giants are sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings for McCarthy.

The Giants, of course, lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season with a knee injury during their Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Jameis Winston‘s play since has been uninspiring, and the only other quarterback on the roster was journeyman Jake Haener.

The Giants had an opportunity to draft McCarthy out of Michigan with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They passed on McCarthy, as well as Bo Nix and Michael Penix, to select wide receiver Malik Nabers. The Vikings took McCarthy No. 10 overall.

That, of course, worked out well for the Giants. Nabers had a sensational rookie season, and the Giants were able to move up in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Dart as their quarterback of the future.

Things did not go well for McCarthy in Minnesota.

McCarthy missed all of his rookie season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. He started 10 games for the Vikings last season, compiling a 6-4 record. He completed 140 of 243 passes (jusy 57.6%) for 1,623 yards with 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 72.6 passer rating.

This offseason, the Vikings signed veteran Kyler Murray as a free agent. McCarthy not only lost a competition with Murray for the starting job, but ended up as the No. 3 quarterback in Minnesota behind Murray and Carson Wentz.

Now, he will join the Giants.