Are the Giants planning a package of plays for J.J. McCarthy?
In a surprise twist, the Giants activated three quarterbacks, including the newly acquired McCarthy, for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Because McCarthy is on the 53-man roster, the Giants could have made McCarthy inactive and still used him as the emergency third-stringer if the starter and backup (Jameis Winston and Jake Haener) are ruled out.
By not doing that, the Giants have opened the door for McCarthy to be the backup — or for him to play in a select set of plays. Perhaps in short yardage where his legs are a threat the way Jaxson Dart’s were before the injury — and Winston’s are not.
Haener was elevated from the practice squad Saturday.
But, if Winston gets off to a slow start to compound his first touchdown-less two games so far, antsy fans will be calling for McCarthy and not Haener. So, it is possible that the Giants are keeping Winston on a short leash — just like it is possible that they just wanted to send the Cardinals scrambling 90 minutes before kickoff.
“We just have to see each and every day how much can he handle,” Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said this week when asked about McCarthy possibly playing a small role, “and then we continue to throw more and more at him. And then we have to make our own judgment on, ‘Now, what is he doing on the field, and where does that take him as a No. 2 or No. 3?’”
The Giants’ inactives include safety Ar’Darius Washington, running back Devin Singletary, cornerback Nikko Reed, defensive lineman Jihad Ward, tight end Thomas Fidone II and defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis.
McCarthy was a first-round pick of the Vikings in 2024 but has not played since the end of last season, after losing a quarterback competition to Kyler Murray and then getting demoted to third-stringer behind Carson Wentz.
The Giants didn’t trade a 2027 fifth-round pick to not get a game-day evaluation of McCarthy sooner or later.
