The New York Giants are trading for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy after losing Jaxson Dart for the rest of the 2026 NFL season.

Dart suffered a year-ending knee injury early in New York’s Week Two defeat to the Los Angeles Rams as they begin a new chapter in their first season under head coach John Harbaugh.

Veteran Jameis Winston replaced Dart under center and started on Sunday as the Giants beat the Tennessee Titans to improve to 2-1 on the year.

NFL Network reported that the Giants are trading a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Vikings in exchange for McCarthy, who was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

For more than one reason McCarthy has failed to establish himself as Minnesota’s starter since being drafted out of Michigan, where he played under Jim Harbaugh, brother of Giants head coach John.

He suffered a year-ending injury in preseason of his rookie campaign, paving the way for Sam Darnold to launch his career revival by spearheading Kevin O’Connell’s side to an unlikely playoff berth.

Darnold departed the following offseason to sign with the Seattle Seahawks, opening the door for McCarthy to get his Vikings career up and running upon his return to full health.

McCarthy marked his NFL debut by helping the Vikings overturn an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Chicago Bears in Week One of the 2025 season. He threw two interceptions against the Atlanta Falcons the following week, during which he suffered an ankle injury that would rule him out of the next five weeks.

Carson Wentz impressed in his absence before McCarthy returned to face the Detroit Lions in Week Nine, only for further issues to disrupt the remainder of his season.

This past offseason he lost the Vikings starting to veteran acquisition Kyler Murray, before falling to third string behind Wentz.

He leaves the Vikings with a record of 6-4, his last appearance coming against the Baltimore Ravens in preseason in August.

The Giants had entered the season enthused by a fresh start under Harbaugh, who left the Ravens after 18 seasons earlier this year. That hope was only strengthened in Week One as Dart led the Giants to a statement win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Dart, the 25th overall pick in 2025, had galvanised a Giants team with just two winning seasons since 2016, supported by a star wide receiver in Malik Nabers, a revamped offensive line, running back Cam Skattebo and a talent-rich pass rush. The latter also took a blow this week as Brian Burns suffered a suspected torn ACL against the Titans.

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