The New York Giants were delivered a punch to the gut this week after tests revealed that Jaxson Dart's knee injury that he suffered on Monday night will, in fact, end his season. The second-year signal-caller has already undergone surgery to repair the injury, and the Giants suddenly find themselves in a state of disarray under center. Jameis Winston, who came in under duress for Dart in Week 2, will start on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, but New York does appear to be in the market to bolster the depth of the quarterback room.
In the aftermath of Dart's injury, the Giants have spent the week making calls on quarterbacks, according to The Ringer. Sources told the outlet that they believe it's a matter of when, not if, New York makes a move to acquire a quarterback, and it could come as soon as Monday.
Winston, who signed a two-year, $13 million extension earlier this month, is currently the only quarterback on the active roster, but Jake Haener will most likely be elevated from the practice squad for Week 3. That leaves them remarkably thin at the position even if they are content with Winston as the starter going forward.
However, it's worth noting that there is a clash in styles between Dart and Winston, which could give us a clue into what kind of quarterback New York may be on the hunt for. This latest report notes that offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and his staff spent the offseason crafting the offense around Dart's mobility and physical play style. That's not Winston's forte, as he's more of a traditional dropback passer.
With that in mind, the game plan for Week 3 is expected to be altered quite a bit against Tennessee, but if the Giants want to return to something close to the philosophical approach they had with Dart, they'd need to bring someone else in who has the ability to make plays with his legs.
J.J. McCarthy an intriguing option
While listing several available quarterbacks, The Ringer's report adds that Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy is an intriguing option, especially with the front office previously doing extensive work on him during the pre-draft process in 2024. While not as physical of a runner as Dart, McCarthy has some mobility to his game and is still only 23 years old. His tenure with the Vikings has gone sideways, and he finds himself as the third-string option behind Kyler Murray (starter) and Carson Wentz (top backup), making him potentially available via trade. He also played for John Harbaugh's brother, Jim Harbaugh, at Michigan, so there is somewhat of a connection there.
Familiarity with Justin Fields
While he's never played for the Giants or John Harbaugh before, New York does have some familiarity with current Chiefs backup quarterback Justin Fields thanks to the presence of Nagy. The Giants OC worked with Fields during his rookie season in 2021, when he was the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Acquiring Fields would certainly unlock the rushing component of Nagy's offense, averaging 48.2 rushing yards per game over his career. That said, the rub on Fields has been his inconsistency as a passer, so the Giants would be taking a step back in that regard. Kansas City acquired Fields from the Jets this offseason as insurance in the event that Patrick Mahomes (recovering from a torn ACL and LCL) wouldn't be ready for the start of the year. However, Mahomes has been able to return with flying colors, which could make Fields expendable. That's especially true if K.C. is comfortable elevating rookie Garrett Nussmeier as their top backup.
