New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen had some interesting words following J.J. McCarthy’s debut as the team’s starter in Week 7. Could the franchise suddenly have two young quarterbacks competing to become the face of the franchise in 2027 and beyond?
“To have, you know, the two young guys with Jaxson [Dart] and J.J., both talented players, it's a good position to be in.," Schoen said when speaking about the Giants current QB situation.
McCarthy, who was acquired in a trade after Jaxon Dart went down with a season-ending injury, gives Schoen and the Giants a short-term fix. He also gives them long-term intrigue as New York faces questions about its 2027 quarterback future.
A member of the 2024 NFL Draft class headlined by Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, McCarthy was the wild card among the top quarterback prospects. There were teams, including the Giants, that viewed him as a potential top-10 pick after leading Michigan to the national championship.
After two seasons with the Vikings, he had yet to establish himself as a starting-caliber quarterback. Now, with the Giants, he is getting another opportunity and has already shown flashes of the potential that made him a first-round selection.
What happens if McCarthy proves over the remainder of the season that he deserves to be an NFL starter?
J.J. McCarthy is turning a second chance into a legitimate opportunity
Selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Vikings, the hope for McCarthy coming out of Michigan was that he would flourish under Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell.
However, after missing his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus, the McCarthy hype had to wait a year. He returned to start 10 games in 2025, but injuries again limited his time on the field and prevented him from finding consistency.
Along with concerns surrounding his durability, McCarthy struggled to adjust to O'Connell's passing attack. His inconsistent play raised more questions about the Vikings' quarterback situation heading into the 2026 season.
With Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz ahead of him on the depth chart, McCarthy's future in Minnesota became more uncertain. The Vikings eventually moved on from their former first-round pick, shipping him to the Giants for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick.
And perhaps it was the injection of motivation McCarthy needed because he looked like a first-round pick in his start against the Houston Texans. In the 27-21 overtime win, McCarthy completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards and a 99.1 passer rating.
With a strong rushing attack behind him, McCarthy looked like the poised quarterback he was at Michigan. He limited his mistakes, showcased his accuracy and got the ball to his playmakers. He also completed five passes of at least 20 yards, including a 47-yard connection with rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields.
Perhaps the most impressive part was how McCarthy handled a tough Texans defense. He showcased his toughness, commanded the offense and demonstrated one of the biggest strengths that made him a first-round pick coming out of Michigan: leadership.
With a 4-2-1 record, the Giants are sitting atop the NFC East, and McCarthy's ability to command the offense could give New York something it didn't expect when the season began.
Two young quarterbacks, both selected in the first round of back-to-back NFL drafts, could suddenly find themselves competing to become the long-term answer for the Giants.
Could J.J. McCarthy change the Giants' plans for Jaxson Dart in 2027?
Before we get too ahead of ourselves, Dart was establishing himself as the quarterback of the present and future before the injury. If you are a Giants fan, the injury and its timing put a damper on what was shaping up to be a promising season.
However, the Giants did get strong play out of Jameis Winston, who helped keep the team in the NFC East race with two wins and a tie in the weeks following Dart's injury. That set the stage for the McCarthy trade and him eventually taking over under center.
While impressive, one strong start isn't enough to create a quarterback controversy. It's going to take a string of games featuring quality quarterback play for Dart to start looking over his shoulder a bit.
The team does have Dart in its long-term plans, but we know how quickly that can change in the NFL, especially at a position where finding the next guy is a struggle.
If McCarthy continues to perform like the quarterback Minnesota envisioned when it drafted him, that suddenly gives the Giants two young options. It could set up an intriguing training camp battle between the two quarterbacks in 2027.
It could also turn McCarthy into a valuable trade asset. Quarterback-needy teams could look at his production over the remainder of the season as renewed evidence that he has the talent to lead a franchise.
That may ultimately be the most interesting part of McCarthy's resurgence. Even if he doesn't unseat Dart, he could play his way into another opportunity to become a franchise quarterback elsewhere.
There is still a lot of season to go and plenty of opportunity ahead for McCarthy to redefine his NFL career. Back to Schoen's comments, having two talented young quarterbacks is certainly a good position for the Giants.
But if McCarthy continues to win games and play at a high level, that good position could become one of the NFL's most intriguing quarterback dilemmas heading into 2027.
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