Giants fans divided over rumored blockbuster quarterback trade

New York Giants owner John Mara made it very clear heading into the offseason: the quarterback position is the biggest priority for the team. In hindsight, it's something the team has tried to address over the last two offseasons.

The Giants knew they wanted to make a move to get the quarterback of the future when they tried to make a trade during the 2024 NFL Draft with the New England Patriots for their No. 3 overall pick, but the Patriots kept the pick because they wanted the quarterback they selected, Drake Maye. However, with the Giants trying to move up and get a quarterback, it sent a clear message that the team was in need of a new player at their most important position.

Now that we’re almost a year removed from that unfolding, the Giants still have a need at quarterback, but they also have an opening at quarterback as well.

Between free agency, trade, and the draft, all options have been discussed and linked to the Giants because they are considered the NFL team most in need of a quarterback. One option for the Giants is one many will find a bit of a deja vu moment since he was talked about as a draft option at this time last season: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Some think the Vikings could decide to stick with Sam Darnold as their quarterback of the present and into the future, especially if they decide to give him a new deal in free agency. If the Vikings do that, there’s a possibility that Minnesota could entertain trade offers for McCarthy, which is where the Giants get mentioned as a possible trade destination.

The Giants fan base has had a bit of a mixed reaction to the idea of trading for McCarthy. So has the staff of GMENHQ, as we have both made the case for and against the Giants trading for McCarthy.

In favor of trading for J.J. McCarthy

Matt Sidney (author profile)

The Giants should absolutely go for broke on the J.J. McCarthy sweepstakes. Yes, the third overall pick for McCarthy is relatively steep, but when you need a quarterback, you need a quarterback.
Who else is walking through the door either free agency or trade? With the third pick, the Giants are almost assuredly out on the top two QBs in Sanders and Ward, leaving them with the most important position in sports still vacant. While McCarthy’s injury history is a concern, so is the past decade or so of Giants football.
Playing it safe will get Schoen and Daboll nowhere. If they’re going to go out, they might as well go out swinging. I’m all for the move in the hopes they secure their franchise signal-caller of the future. Otherwise, it’s perpetual purgatory.

It was Mel Kiper Jr.’s comments about the Giants trading away the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft that ignited this discussion, making it a hot topic across social media.

Not in favor of trading for J.J. McCarthy

Doug Rush (author profile)

The Giants had a chance to take J.J. McCarthy when they were on the clock back in April. They opted for Malik Nabers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Vikings took McCarthy four picks later. But in the grand scheme of things, Joe Schoen passed on McCarthy, especially during a time when the Giants were looking elsewhere for a younger quarterback to replace Daniel Jones.

So why would the same general manager, as Schoen is now coming back as the Giants general manager for the 2025 season, decide to trade draft capital, especially the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, for a player he passed on? On top of that, a player who not only didn’t play a single down during his rookie season but one who already has injury concerns as well. McCarthy missed his entire rookie campaign in 2024 due to needing knee surgery in August.

Wanting the third overall pick in the draft is already a massively high and rather unreasonable request for a virtual professional unknown in McCarthy. Throw in the fact that McCarthy already has knee issues, and that’s another red flag too.

On top of all that, Schoen is considered to be an executive on the hot seat for the 2025 season. Making that kind of trade reeks of desperation as opposed to a smart football decision.

Could McCarthy still turn into a decent NFL quarterback? Of course. But do the Giants really want to run that risk and trade away the No. 3 pick on a virtual unknown player who already has injury concerns? They can’t. Especially not at a point where they are as a franchise, and not when their general manager and head coach are heading into the next season where they might be managing and coaching for their futures.

It would be another thing if Minnesota was willing to settle for either a Day 2 or Day 3 draft pick for McCarthy. But Minnesota doesn’t have to give up McCarthy so soon, especially if Darnold doesn’t repeat the success he had in 2024. If anything, Minnesota could always use the franchise tag on Darnold and keep McCarthy on standby just in case they need to bring him in as their starter.

In the end, unless Minnesota decides to give McCarthy away for some reason—and there’s very little chance that they do—the Giants making a trade for McCarthy and using the third overall pick to do so would be a horrible move for the Giants to consider making.

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