From the very moment the New York Giants acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, it became just a matter of time before the team would flip the switch to McCarthy over Jameis Winston, the backup to Jaxson Dart, who, before the start of the 2026 season, signed a two-year extension to continue as the team’s quarterback understudy.
But when Dart went down with a season-ending knee injury seven snaps into their Week 2 game, concerns began to arise because the Giants’ offense, as constructed, wasn’t set up to favor Winston’s more classic dropback style of play.
That became evident right off the bat when, seven snaps into Week 2, Dart had to exit the game, leaving Winston, the “next man up” who coaches will tell you has to be ready at any given time, to struggle his way through an offensive game plan that didn’t suit his strengths.
So here we are: McCarthy is the starter, and Winston has been demoted to backup. Let’s break down the big move.
Why did the Giants make this decision now and not after the bye week?
Two reasons. They apparently feel comfortable enough with McCarthy’s knowledge of the playbook and, just as important, his ability to protect himself if they should have to deviate.
The second reason is that, despite Winston leading the team to a 2-1-1 record, that record came with a struggle. The run game suffered because Winston isn’t an ideal fit for the RPO/designed-run part of the playbook.
And with the NFC East there for the taking, the decision was made to make the move now rather than put off what was widely regarded as inevitable.
How did Jameis Winston take the news?
Like the pro he is. Winston, a team captain, said, “I’m extremely grateful that I still get to do what I love, and that’s play football at a high level for the New York Football Giants. And being able to accept roles and understand what your significant role is, and how I can be the best at my role with this team, is one of the things that you have to adjust to in this league.”
As he did in a support role with Dart, Winston intends to support McCarthy and the rest of the team in whatever capacity he’s asked.
How did McCarthy take the news?
The best way to describe his public reaction is humility. McCarthy said he views this opportunity with the Giants as a chance for a fresh start, and he’s focused on getting up to speed on the offense and repaying the team’s confidence in him.
“I’m focused on that next thing, what’s next? No matter what, there’s going to be factors that are outside of my control that are going to steer me in certain directions,” he said.
“I’m going to continue to focus on the things that I can control, and go from there, and yeah, that’s kind of how it went.”
Why did the Giants extend Winston if he wasn’t an ideal fit for the offense they want to run?
For the same reason you saw play out. Winston can go in there for part of a game or even for a handful of games and keep you in the mix, which is what he did for the Giants.
But his days of carrying a team for an entire season are long gone. The Giants, in realizing that they have an opportunity to win the division, made the switch and will have Winston, who has been a model locker room citizen and a big-time help to the younger quarterbacks in their meeting room, serve as a support system, which is what his original role was intended to be.
Any concerns about McCarthy against the Texans’ pass rush, especially if the starting tackles (Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor) can’t play?
To be honest, we’d have concerns about that pass rush even if they could play. But McCarthy is mobile.
He can use his legs to move the pocket as need be. Winston? Not so much.
That doesn’t mean the Giants have nullified the Texans’ pass rush with this move, but there is hope it won’t be as productive as it might have been with Winston.
Is there any concern about McCarthy taking over?
A little. He’s been here less than a month, so it’s fair to wonder about his chemistry with his receivers, especially since Winston is thought to have gotten the bulk of the reps with them in practice.
But to his credit, McCarthy often stayed after practice to work on various routes with receivers to get up to speed on verbal and nonverbal communication.
What’s the biggest benefit that can potentially come from this move?
Simple. McCarthy’s ability to execute the RPO/designed runs now gives the defense another runner they have to account for, which means they might think twice about crowding the box.
The Giants have faced the sixth-most crowded boxes this season, and much of that is because opposing defenses know Winston really isn’t a threat to run.
McCarthy is, so the hope is that his presence will discourage so many stacked boxes, which in turn should help the sagging running game get back on track.
What happens if McCarthy struggles? Will they go back to Winston?
First, let’s hope he doesn’t struggle, because that would mean the season is heading in the wrong direction. But if McCarthy struggles this week against the Texans, it’s highly unlikely he’ll get a quick hook. In fact, because his skill set is a better fit for the offense and how it’s been designed, barring injury, it’s hard to envision McCarthy not finishing out the season as the starter.
If McCarthy does well, what does this mean for Jaxson Dart when he comes back from his injury next year?
Nothing. Dart is going to be the starter. If McCarthy does well, the Giants will have the option to trade him or Winston to a quarterback-needy team next offseason, a move that would undoubtedly bring in draft picks.
If McCarthy does well, the Giants will almost certainly pick up the option year in his rookie deal, a decision they have to make after this year. So that is something else to keep in mind.
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