Report: Vikings Ask Giants for 2027 First-Rounder in J.J. McCarthy Talks

Minnesota has set a first-round price for quarterback J.J. McCarthy as talks with the quarterback-needy Giants continue following Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury.

Minnesota has attached a steep price to quarterback J.J. McCarthy in its conversations with the New York Giants. A report circulating Sunday said the Vikings want a first-round selection in the 2027 draft in any deal, and that the two clubs remain in talks while New York shops for help under center. The ask was posted Saturday by the account NFC North News on social media before spreading through Sunday reporting.

McCarthy entered the league with the look of a franchise cornerstone in Minnesota. The reality has been different: the No. 10 overall choice in the 2024 draft now occupies the third spot on the depth chart, behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz. That slide has left his standing with the organization in doubt and helped put a trade on the table.

New York's urgency traces to a setback of its own. Jaxson Dart went down with a significant left knee injury in the defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, and the club has confirmed he will not return during the rest of the regular season. Jameis Winston has since taken over the starting job, but the timeline has pushed the Giants to weigh passers beyond the ones already in their building.

Tom Pelissero framed McCarthy as a name worth watching for the Giants. According to Pelissero, general manager Joe Schoen has been making calls about the position, and an addition could come as early as Monday. New York also studied McCarthy closely ahead of the 2024 draft, and his comfort operating outside the pocket lines up with elements of an offense designed with Dart in mind.

The body of work Minnesota is selling remains limited. Across 10 career starts, McCarthy has won six, and he connected on 57.6% of his attempts last season for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Handing over a first-round choice for that sample size would count as a substantial bet by the Giants.

The Vikings, though, have grounds to hold firm. At 23, McCarthy is still playing on his rookie deal, and the front office chose to keep developing him rather than cash him in during the offseason, a sign the organization still believes in him. Accepting less now, for a former top-10 pick, may be a step the club is unwilling to take.

History may also be sharpening Minnesota's stance. The report pointed out that the Vikings once stood where the Giants do now, sending a first- and a fourth-round pick to Philadelphia in 2016 after Teddy Bridgewater was hurt, a reminder of what desperation at quarterback can cost a team.

How the gap gets bridged, or doesn't, will shape both depth charts. New York still views Dart as its quarterback going forward and could see McCarthy as a way to cover the present while adding a young option for later. Whether McCarthy gets a fresh start elsewhere or waits again in Minnesota may come down to what the Giants are willing to pay.

Both teams are in action Sunday. The Giants welcome the Tennessee Titans to MetLife Stadium at 1:00 p.m. EDT on CBS, while the Vikings travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium at 4:05 p.m. EDT on FOX.