On Monday, the Giants moved to acquire JJ McCarthy, and the timing of his first start has become an open issue. John Harbaugh is chasing wins from the beginning, and Jameis Winston’s recent rough patches have pushed the quarterback switch up the priority list.
McCarthy’s Arrival
The Vikings selected McCarthy as a first-round pick, choosing him with the 10th overall selection in the 2024 draft. Injuries, inconsistent play and the emergence of Kyler Murray kept him from reaching his full potential during his tenure in Minnesota. Currently, the team is sitting at 3-0 heading into this season.
Harbaugh sees the talent underneath the rough patches. “I think he’s a strong, young quarterback, has some experience in the National Football League,” Harbaugh said. “Obviously, was a very high draft pick, very talented player and is going to make us a stronger football team.”
Three years ago, McCarthy led Michigan to a national championship under Jim Harbaugh. That résumé forms part of the argument for why McCarthy deserves a chance to succeed.
The Winston Situation
The struggles have been mighty for Winston. Against the Titans, he threw for 118 yards while averaging just 8.4 yards per completion. The Rams game brought even worse results.
Recent results point toward a quick response from Harbaugh’s perfect world is simple: Winston plays well enough to keep the job. Changing quarterbacks midseason is a tall order, especially for a first-year coaching staff. But Winston’, according to his latest performances.
A young quarterback who has just started for a new team would rather avoid Philadelphia, where the Giants play their Week 9 game. It would be better to wait until after the bye week before facing the Commanders in Week 10.
Timing the Change
The Giants have a Week 8 bye, which places Week 9 as the obvious time for McCarthy to assume control. That makes Week 9 the sensible choice. However, McCarthy could end up starting much earlier than that week, with a real possibility he takes charge as the starter before then.
The switch could be flipped back to Week 6, when the Giants welcome the Saints to town. That approach would allow Harbaugh to observe Winston in action against the Cardinals and again in Washington against the Commanders before settling on McCarthy. It would also mean McCarthy gets two games of experience before the bye week arrives.
| Week | Game | Location | Potential McCarthy Debut |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | vs Saints | Home | Possible |
| 7 | vs Cardinals | Away | Possible |
| 8 | Bye | — | — |
| 9 | at Eagles | Away | Likely if Winston struggles |
| 10 | vs Commanders | Home | Backup plan |
What matters most is timing. If McCarthy steps in for a Week 6 start, he gets two matches on the board before the bye. A Week 9 start, by contrast, leaves him walking into Philadelphia without any prior experience at all.
What McCarthy Needs to Prove
Taking care of the ball is something McCarthy has to prove to Harbaugh. It was a major problem in Minnesota, and it probably played a part in how things ended with the Vikings. He’ll need to fix it.
The offense is the other obstacle. McCarthy has experience, but he must get up to speed with a new system fast.
The Decision Ahead
Harbaugh has made quarterback changes before. In 2018, he replaced Joe Flacco with rookie Lamar Jackson after Baltimore started 4-5. Jackson went 6-1 as Baltimore’s starter that season while foreshadowing what was to come for the eventual two-time league MVP.
While no one is comparing McCarthy to Jackson, McCarthy can certainly bring temporary stability to the NFL’s most important position.
New York’s defense is solid, but it cannot be counted on week after week to carry the team. The offense lacks the capability to support a quarterback, and the loss of Brian Burns to a season-ending injury on Sunday makes that even clearer.
If Winston doesn’t improve over the next two weeks, the switch could happen when the Saints visit in Week 6. That would give Harbaugh a clearer picture of Winston’s ceiling before committing to McCarthy.
The plan is simple. If Winston performs well enough to hold onto the starting spot, Harbaugh will let him do it. If he cannot, McCarthy has been positioned to take over instead.
The deal was struck with the goal of strengthening the quarterback corps. The timing of McCarthy’s return under center depends entirely on how Winston performs over his next two contests.
Source material: “When will J.J. McCarthy start for Giants? Why John Harbaugh could make QB change sooner than expected,” CBS Sports.
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