Jameis Winston vs. J.J. McCarthy: Giants Last-Chance QBs

Two first-round quarterbacks, one job, and maybe one last shot.

Netflix's Last Chance U followed junior college players chasing one more opportunity after their football careers went sideways. The New York Giants' quarterback room has become the NFL's version.

On Monday, the Giants sent a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for J.J. McCarthy, the former Michigan star and No. 10 overall pick in 2024.[2] That puts him in the same meeting room as Jameis Winston, the former Florida State Heisman winner and 2015 No. 1 overall pick who is starting in place of the injured Jaxson Dart.[1]

One is 32 and on his fourth NFL team. The other is 23 and was third string in Minnesota a week ago. Both are running short on chances to prove they belong under center on Sundays.

How the Giants Got Here

The Giants' season started with plenty of promise. Jaxson Dart, the former Ole Miss quarterback, became the first player in NFL history to open a season with at least three touchdown passes, 50 rushing yards and a 130 passer rating in the Week 1 win over Dallas.[1]

Then, on the seventh play of the Week 2 Monday night game against the Rams, Dart was hit by two defenders and hurt his knee. On September 24, the Giants announced he would miss the rest of the regular season.[1]

Winston took over. In relief at SoFi Stadium, he completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and an interception in a 28-6 loss.[1] His first start came a week later on Sunday against the Titans in a rainy, windy mess at MetLife Stadium. He went 14 of 22 for 118 yards, with no touchdowns but also no interceptions, in a 12-7 win.[3]

Undrafted rookie kicker Dominic Zvada scored all 12 points on four field goals, and safety Jevón Holland sealed it with an end-zone interception with 17 seconds left.[13] The offense managed only 238 yards and has gone two straight weeks without a touchdown.[8]

But the Giants are 2-1 -- shocking for this team that has had a winning record in Week 3 only twice in the last 10 years. The quarterback play is the open question that will decide what happens next.

Jameis Winston: The Audition Tape

Few quarterbacks have a résumé like Winston's. At Florida State, he won the 2013 Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman and led the Seminoles to the BCS national championship. Tampa Bay made him the first pick of the 2015 draft.

Since then, he has played 109 regular-season games for the Buccaneers, Saints, Browns and Giants, throwing for 24,903 yards, 156 touchdowns and 114 interceptions.[1] His current deal is his 12th NFL contract.[1]

Giants fans have seen flashes of the fun side of the Jameis experience. Filling in for a concussed Dart in Weeks 11 and 12 last season, he threw two touchdown passes, ran for another and even caught a 33-yard touchdown on a trick play in Detroit.[1]

The Giants believe in him enough to have signed him to a two-year, $13 million extension through 2028 just before the season.[3] After the trade, coach John Harbaugh said Winston will start "for as long as I can see into the future," beginning Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.[2]

But the early returns have not been great. Yes it's only two games, but Giants fans rightfully expect better from Jameis.

The stakes also reach well beyond East Rutherford. At 32, Winston's next contract depends on these upcoming games. A strong run now could make him a bridge-starter candidate somewhere in 2027. A weak one likely settles him into a career backup role. Every Sunday is an audition for the other 31 teams, too.

J.J. McCarthy: From "The Guy" to Third String

JJ McCarthy

McCarthy's fall has been fast. At Michigan, he went 27-1 as a starter and won the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship playing for Jim Harbaugh.[6] Minnesota traded up to draft him 10th overall, passing on Bo Nix, who has since become Denver's starter.[10]

A torn meniscus in his first preseason game wiped out his rookie year.[10] In 2025, he started 10 games, went 6-4 and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 1.[11] He also completed just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.[7]

Minnesota responded this season, McCarthy's third, by adding Kyler Murray and re-signing Carson Wentz. Murray won the job in training camp, an ankle injury cost McCarthy the final preseason game, and he opened 2026 as the No. 3 quarterback.[2][6] He hasn't taken a single regular-season snap for the Vikings this year.

Now he gets a fresh start with a familiar name. John Harbaugh reportedly called his brother Jim for a scouting report before making the deal.[9] McCarthy is 23 years and 9 months old, younger than most quarterbacks drafted in 2026 and interestingly, about the same age as Jaxson Dart.[2] His cap hit this season is just under $1 million,[9] and he is under contract through 2027 with a team option for 2028.[4]

That contract is the case for patience and also the reason this matters. If the Giants only wanted insurance, they could have signed a veteran free agent.[4] They clearly traded for McCarthy because they want to see what he can become. If he gets on the field and struggles, "former first-round pick" may be the only thing on his résumé the next time a team calls.

Side by Side

	Jameis Winston	J.J. McCarthy
College	Florida State	Michigan
College highlight	2013 Heisman, BCS national title	27-1 as a starter, 2023 national title
Drafted	2015, No. 1 overall (Buccaneers)	2024, No. 10 overall (Vikings)
Age	32	23
NFL teams	Buccaneers, Saints, Browns, Giants	Vikings, Giants
Career TD–INT	156–114	11–12
Contract	2-year, $13M extension through 2028	Rookie deal through 2027, 2028 team option
Giants role	Starter	Backup

What Happens Next

In the short term, it is Winston's job. The Giants waived Jake Haener after the trade and he'll likely end up back on the practice squad, so the room is down to two quarterbacks while McCarthy learns the offense.[12] Expect another game plan built around the running game and the defense.

The bigger question comes in October. If the offense keeps settling for field goals, the calls for McCarthy will get louder, and the Saints game against Winston's former teammates will arrive with extra weight. On the other hand, if Winston starts finding the end zone, he could hold the job, and McCarthy's development becomes a 2027 story, or a trade chip.

What to Watch Over the Next Three Weeks

Red-zone results. The Giants reached the Tennessee 2-yard line and still came away with a field goal.[8] Touchdowns, not yardage, will decide Winston's leash.
Turnovers. The "Jameis Experience" has always been a trade-off between big plays and interceptions. A clean game against Arizona would help his case more than a big passing total.
McCarthy's practice role. If he starts taking more first-team reps or getting package plays, the transition is closer than the coaching staff is saying publicly.
The Saints game. If Winston is still the starter in Week 6, a win against his former team could quiet the debate for a while.

Either way, only one of these two is likely to write the comeback chapter this fall. For Florida State and Michigan fans, the most interesting quarterback competition in the NFL now runs through the Meadowlands. FanDaily will track both after every Giants game.

Footnotes