Giants acquire Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy as Jaxson Dart ruled out for season
The New York Giants have agreed to acquire quarterback JJ McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings on Monday in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, the Vikings said, with the transaction pending McCarthy passing a physical. The move came days after the Giants confirmed Jaxson Dart had surgery on his left knee and will miss at least the remainder of the regular season.
Dart’s surgery forced New York to act quickly at the position. Jameis Winston started and guided the Giants to a win over Tennessee on Sunday, but the offense produced just 238 yards and failed to reach the end zone. Coach John Harbaugh said after that game — and before the McCarthy trade was announced — that Winston would start again this Sunday against Arizona, leaving the long-term quarterback pecking order in New York unresolved.
McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft but struggled to hold a roster-leading position in Minnesota, losing the starting job to Kyler Murray and later falling behind Carson Wentz on the depth chart. The Vikings played McCarthy in 10 games; his NFL statistics to date show 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. The source described McCarthy’s time in Minnesota as a failure.
At 23, McCarthy arrives in the NFL with a decorated amateur resume: he won a national title at Michigan under coach Jim Harbaugh and lost only three games as a starter across high school and college, including a 27-1 record at Michigan on the way to the championship. Minnesota evaluated McCarthy’s college background as having limited experience as a pro-style passer after operating in Jim Harbaugh’s run-heavy system.
The Vikings’ assessment of McCarthy cited a mix of poor form, injuries and perceived immaturity during his tenure. He suffered a torn meniscus in his first preseason game that required surgery and delayed his professional debut until September 2025, and he also missed time with a sprained ankle, a concussion and a broken hand. Team officials had counted on coach Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling and quarterback development record after Sam Darnold’s success under O’Connell in 2024, and Darnold’s 2024 season figures into the Vikings’ decision to let him leave as a free agent and initially build around McCarthy and a salary cap-friendly rookie contract.
In separate injury news, Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will be sidelined for at least three weeks with a dislocated thumb to his right throwing hand suffered in the Buccaneers’ 23-16 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. Bowles said Mayfield was hit by Minnesota linebacker Blake Cashman during a throw in the final minutes of the game; rookie Jalon Daniels will replace Mayfield, and the Buccaneers host the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.
The McCarthy trade remains subject to the results of his physical before it is finalized, John Harbaugh had already designated Winston to start against Arizona on Sunday prior to the trade announcement, and Tampa Bay will turn to Jalon Daniels as it prepares to host Green Bay this Sunday.