Giants Could Look at Vikings' J.J. McCarthy After Jaxson Dart Injury

A possible season-ending knee injury to Jaxson Dart has sparked speculation that the New York Giants may pursue quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart left Monday night's 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter with a knee injury. Follow-up testing showed the damage is worse than first believed, and according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Dart and the team now face the possibility of season-ending surgery.

With Dart potentially sidelined for the rest of 2026, the Giants have a question mark at quarterback. Backup Jameis Winston completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in relief, and the team fell to 1-1 on the season under head coach John Harbaugh.

Longtime Giants writer Gary Myers argued that the franchise should trade for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Myers noted that general manager Joe Schoen considered McCarthy with the sixth overall pick in 2024 before selecting Malik Nabers, and suggested a deal might cost only a mid-round draft pick.

McCarthy, 23, struggled in his first season as Minnesota's starter, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across 10 games. He has since been replaced as the Vikings' starter by Kyler Murray.

Whether the Giants act on the idea remains uncertain. The team could give Winston another start or pursue a trade, with McCarthy among the potentially available options.