The New York Giants don’t plan on staring new quarterback J.J. McCarthy right away, but that could change in a hurry if it turns out stand-in starter Jameis Winston’s carrying an injury that would explain a growing “mystery” about his recent performances.
Winston playing hurt is a theory put forward by Dan Duggan of The Athletic. His speculation is fuelled by Winston’s consistent problems with arm strength through nearly two games this season.
Duggan believes “It’s a huge mystery why he’s (Winston’s) been throwing the ball the way he has in these two appearances. For all of his flaws, arm strength has never been one. Seeing so many routine passes come up short has me wondering if he’s OK physically.”
While it’s reasonable to wonder about the health of Winston’s throwing arm, the Giants have already downplayed those concerns. There are also other reasons to explain Winston’s erratic accuracy. Reasons related to scheme and personnel.
Concerns about Winston’s fit with both of those things likely motivated the Giants choosing to trade for McCarthy. Even at the cost of giving up 2027 NFL draft capital to the Minnesota Vikings.
Those same concerns could also determine who’s the next quarterback the Giants still plan to sign.
Jameis Winston’s Struggles Lead to Difficult Questions
Winston isn’t playing well. That was obvious throughout his miserable, zero-touchdown performance during the 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 3.
He continued displaying the same faults he’d shown after entering Week 2’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, following Jaxson Dart suffering a season-ending knee injury. Both performances were marked by Winston consistently failing to connect on vertical throws.
The broader problem is Winston’s overall accuracy. He’s completed only 51 percent of his passes and averaged a mere 4.7 yards per attempt, according to Pro Football Reference.
That last stat shouldn’t belong to a boom-or-bust passer known throughout his career for challenging coverage deep. All of Winston’s mediocre numbers also raise uncomfortable questions about why the Giants gave the 32-year-old a pricey contract extension days before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Those questions will get tougher if Winston has an underlying injury the Giants missed, and that’s why they traded for McCarthy.
As Shaun Morash of Talkin’ Giants put it, “The biggest issue with the JJ McCarthy/Giants trade is not giving up a 5th round pick. Those franchise kind of hits are so few and far between. The big issue was the Jameis Winston extension this month. If he didn’t fit the offense, had a dead arm they were unaware of, it’s bad.”
The big issue was the Jameis Winston extension this month. If he didn’t fit the offense, had a dead arm they were unaware of, it’s bad
Morash’s reference to Winston not fitting this Giants offense is perhaps the biggest indictment of the team’s strategy at quarterback. A misstep that’s negatively impacting how the Giants are approaching key plays in clutch areas of the field.
Giants Must Match Scheme to the Right Quarterback
Winston’s trouble finding his receivers doesn’t have to be the fault of diminished arm talent. He could just as easily lack the timing and touch to master coordinator Matt Nagy’s offense.
Nagy is calling a scheme based on quick, efficient passing and only select deep shots. The formula doesn’t exactly suit the gung-ho way Winston plays quarterback.
His feast-or-famine approach has led to 114 interceptions in the regular season. Those turnovers are apparently making Nagy overly cautious, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
Dunleavy cited two fruitless goal-line sequences as proof Nagy is calling plays differently with Winston in the lineup: “Just like the series he regretted last week, #Giants OC Matt Nagy didn’t throw a pass into the end zone after 1st and goal on the 5yard line. You can’t tell me they trust Jameis Winston not to make a catastrophic mistake.”
You can’t tell me they trust Jameis Winston not to make a catastrophic mistake.
Head coach John Harbaugh has already expressed frustration with the play-calling in scoring situations. Nagy indicated there’d be a reaction, but he failed to show more intent against the Titans.
Perhaps that will change if Harbaugh makes the switch from Winston to McCarthy. He possesses the rushing threat and familiarity with read-option concepts to better fit the offense Nagy designed for Dart.
McCarthy will get the chance to prove whether the Giants’ quarterback issues are about scheme or personnel if Winston continues to struggle. Or if the veteran’s true injury status makes the Giants’ decision for them.
Giants Reporter Hints at Injury Behind Jameis Winston ‘Mystery’