Giants trade for J.J. McCarthy, giving new life to QB buried on Vikings roster
NFL Week 3 Overreactions: Chaos in Brazil, Bills rally and Patriots panic
USA TODAY Sports’ Madison Tenenbaum breaks down the biggest storylines from Week 3 in the NFL.
The New York Giants are wasting little time replenishing their quarterback depth chart.
A week after starter Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury that will cost him at least the remainder of the regular season, the Giants have opted to acquired Minnesota Vikings backup J.J. McCarthy, according to USA TODAY Network’s Art Stapleton.
McCarthy, the tenth overall pick of the 2024 draft, had fallen to third on the Vikings’ depth chart. He missed his entire rookie year with a meniscus injury and then struggled as the team’s starter in 2025. Minnesota signed Kyler Murray in the offseason, and he beat out McCarthy for the QB1 role before preseason games even started. Carson Wentz later secured the backup job and played in the team’s first two games while Murray was out with a concussion.
J.J. McCarthy trade terms
According to Stapleton, the Vikings will receive a fifth-round pick in the 2027 draft as compensation for McCarthy.
This is a developing story
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.