Giants agree to trade for J.J. McCarthy after Jaxson Dart injury

The New York Giants have agreed to acquire quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, giving them another option after Jaxson Dart was ruled out for the rest of the regular season. The Vikings announced the deal Monday, September 28, subject to McCarthy passing a physical. That condition leaves the transaction unfinished, while New York has yet to establish what role McCarthy would play immediately.

The agreement brings a former top-10 draft pick into a Giants quarterback room led most recently by Jameis Winston. McCarthy, 23, was the 10th selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, but made only 10 starts for Minnesota across his first two seasons. For the Giants, the fifth-round pick is the stated price for an additional young passer while Dart is unavailable.

Dart’s injury changed New York’s plans

Dart hurt his left knee against the Los Angeles Rams on September 21. Giants coach John Harbaugh subsequently ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season and said surgery was planned, according to CBS New York. Harbaugh left open the possibility of a postseason return if the Giants qualify; that is a possibility, not an established recovery timetable.

Harbaugh called Dart’s absence ‘a big loss’ and said, ‘The season is not over, but it is for him.’ The injury removed New York’s starting quarterback after a promising opening game against Dallas, when Dart passed for 230 yards and three touchdowns and added 54 rushing yards in a 28-20 Giants win.

Before news of the agreement, Harbaugh said Winston would start the Giants’ next game against Arizona, The Guardian reported. The available reporting does not establish whether the team has changed that plan. McCarthy’s potential debut also has no confirmed date; NFL.com noted that his opportunity to play would depend in part on learning New York’s offense.

Why Minnesota moved on

Minnesota drafted McCarthy after his national championship season at Michigan, but a preseason knee injury cost him his entire 2024 rookie campaign. His first regular-season appearances came in 2025. Across 10 starts for the Vikings, he completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, with 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. CBS Minnesota also credited him with 181 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

His availability was another issue during those first two seasons. CBS Minnesota reported that McCarthy missed 24 of 34 possible games. A high ankle sprain during his debut season kept him out for five games before a Week 9 return. Those absences and his uneven passing record help explain why a player selected 10th overall became available for a fifth-round pick two years later.

The Vikings turned to other quarterbacks this year. CBS Minnesota reported that McCarthy lost the starting job to Kyler Murray and fell behind Carson Wentz on the depth chart. NFL.com said Minnesota pursued Murray and re-signed Wentz during the offseason, then began the season with McCarthy designated as an inactive emergency third quarterback. The trade agreement follows that change in his place on the roster.

Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley told reporters Monday that the team concluded the Giants opportunity was ‘the best path forward and the best decision for the Minnesota Vikings,’ according to CBS Minnesota. He pointed to Wentz’s ability to step in and Max Brosmer’s development as factors that allowed the club to make the move. Teasley also said he hoped McCarthy would succeed in the future.

A second chance, with the next start unsettled

There is a connection between McCarthy’s college career and his prospective new coach: he played at Michigan for Jim Harbaugh, the brother of Giants coach John Harbaugh. CBS Minnesota reported that Michigan went 27-1 with McCarthy as its starter and won a national title. College success, however, does not establish how quickly he can take on a new NFL offense or whether he will displace Winston.

The Giants also had an earlier opportunity to select McCarthy. Holding the sixth pick in the 2024 draft, they chose receiver Malik Nabers; Minnesota selected McCarthy four picks later, CBS Minnesota reported. The clubs’ new agreement would bring him to New York on different terms: a 2027 fifth-round selection, rather than the first-round pick used to draft him.

For now, the immediate questions are procedural and practical. McCarthy must pass his physical for the announced deal to proceed, and New York has not set out a revised quarterback plan following the announcement. Winston was the most recent starter, Haener had joined the active roster, and Dart remains ruled out for the regular season. The agreement expands the Giants’ options, but the reporting does not establish who will take the first snap after it is completed.