J.J. McCarthy's first week with the New York Giants is being spent as the third-string quarterback. He arrived after being traded from the Minnesota Vikings for a fifth-round pick and begins behind veteran Jameis Winston and Jake Haener. Being the third-stringer seems like a temporary thing given his pedigree and the situation.
The likelihood is that McCarthy will climb the depth chart once he learns the new offense and gets acclimated to his surroundings. He will either be the backup to Winston or eventually become the team's starter. It's all dependent on how Winston plays at home on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and likely next week on the road against the Washington Commanders.
Winston, a 12-year veteran, knows how this all works. "I have to play well regardless. That's it," he said emphatically on Wednesday. "When you're the quarterback for the New York Football Giants, you have to give your team a chance to win. That's just the business that we're in."
Winston led the Giants to a win on Sunday against the Titans. He has a 22.9 QBR, dead last by a wide margin among the 30 qualifying quarterbacks, and a 29.2% off-target percentage on his 49 pass attempts. The 32-year-old is convinced there is plenty left in his arm.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing