A former NFL star has put New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart on notice following the addition of J.J. McCarthy.
The New York Giants raised some eyebrows earlier this week when they swung a trade to acquire J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings.
Jaxson Dart is out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury, and Jameis Winston has not exactly performed well in his place, so the Giants — whose only other alternative was Jake Haener — needed a backup plan.
But instead of going out and acquiring a seasoned veteran who wouldn't pose a threat to Dart long term, New York landed McCarthy.
It was definitely an interesting move, especially considering the Giants surrendered a fifth-round draft pick (a fairly decent price considering New York's lack of draft capital) to get the deal done.
Former NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman finds the trade a bit peculiar and isn't so sure how Dart should be feeling now that McCarthy is on board.
"Look, the Harbaughs, they're brothers," Edelman said. "Maybe he's got a little intel from Jim. John called Jim, 'How was he at Michigan?' I don't know how I would feel if I was Jaxson Dart, you know what I mean?"
The Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was sidelined his entire rookie campaign due to a knee injury and then made 10 starts last season, missing seven games due to ankle issues and a concussion.
During the time McCarthy was actually on the field in 2025, he didn't look too good, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 57.6 percent of his passes.
However, McCarthy is just 23 years old and clearly has talent. He is also under team control through 2028, with a club option for that final year.
Couple that with the fact that Harbaugh made some odd comments regarding the team's future quarterback situation recently, and you do have to wonder if Dart — who has made a grand total of 14 starts in two years — may have something to worry about.
Dart has been terrific when he has played. It was very impressive during his rookie season, and he put forth a scintillating performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 this year.
However, the former first-round pick found himself being evaluated for head injuries five times last season and missed two games due to a concussion.
And while the knee injury Dart suffered against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 was more of a freak accident than anything else, the lack of definitive clarity regarding whether or not he is a franchise quarterback puts his future in question.
Now, McCarthy is in the locker room, and Dart may have to look over his shoulder as a result.
