New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered an injury early in the first quarter of the team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Rams.
It was initially expected to keep him out for a few weeks, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided a much bleaker outlook today. He reported that Dart might undergo season-ending knee surgery.
Jameis Winston came in for Dart against the Rams, and he didn’t play well. At all. He completed only 11 of 27 attempts for 111 yards and an interception. Sure, he was thrown into the fire with no preparation, but that was still abysmal.
With them sitting at 1-0 in the division and a roster with significant talent, Giants head coach John Harbaugh probably thinks they can contend with even average play at QB. That has led some to speculate whether they might look for an answer on the trade market.
Giants long-time beat writer Gary Myers thinks Harbaugh could take his brother’s pre-draft advice (Jim Harbaugh infamously vouched for JJ McCarthy as the best signal-caller in a loaded 2024 QB class) and take a shot on the Vikings‘ third-string QB.
“GM Joe Schoen considered him w/6th overall pick in 2024 (they took Malik Nabers). McCarthy helped Jim Harbaugh win national championship in 2023 and he loves McCarthy. John and Jim often sign players with a history with each other. Probably would cost only mid-round pick and Giants could run same RPO offense they were using with Dart that is not suited to Jameis Winston. If McCarthy plays well for Giants, can build up his value to trade him after season or supplant Winston as Dart’s backup. Low-risk move. McCarthy has been huge disappointment in Minnesota but he’s only 23 years old, a few months older than Dart.” Myers wrote on X.
The Vikings Aren’t Expected To Trade McCarthy, But They Could Be Swayed For The Right Price
The JJ McCarthy trade talk has died down considerably after the team cultivated their 53-man roster. However, this is the exact scenario that would rekindle that fire.
The Vikings’ front office won’t initiate calls to ship McCarthy out of town. With them riding high at 2-0, they’re focused on this season and aren’t worried about a Day 3 draft pick in next year’s draft. However, with Carson Wentz getting them there, and Kyler Murray set to rejoin the lineup on Sunday, they aren’t remotely invested in JJ McCarthy right now.
The Giants, on the other hand, could be. The Vikings wouldn’t hang up if they called, and, if Dart really is out for the year, they’d also conceivably be desperate to sway Minnesota. What once looked like a sixth-round pick (at best) could now be a fifth under the new circumstances. Certainly not as consequential as the 10th overall pick they invested in him, but it might be enough to make the Vikings not think twice.
JJ McCarthy’s Future In Minnesota Still Appears Bleak
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell wasn’t ready to give up on McCarthy before the season began. However, he has only one more year left on his rookie contract.
Sure, both Murray and Wentz are scheduled to hit free agency in the offseason, but the odds of McCarthy grabbing the starting job still seem slim. It surely wouldn’t be his job uncontested, and he hasn’t done much to instill confidence in his abilities.
If he does win the starting job, they’d have to then either re-sign him or accept his pretty hefty fifth-year option. It’s obviously a massive projection being so far down the line, but neither option seems ideal at this point.
He would make some sense as a stop-gap options for the Giants, though…
Vikings’ JJ McCarthy Suggested as Perfect Trade Fit After Major QB Injury