# Why Keeping J.J. McCarthy on the Bench Is the Smart Long-Term Move for the Giants

> Giants keep J.J. McCarthy on bench for long-term success.
- Title: Why Keeping J.J. McCarthy on the Bench Is the Smart Long-Term…
- Summary: Giants keep J.J. McCarthy on bench for long-term success. Giants should keep J.J. McCarthy on bench to avoid quarterback roulette and build confidence for…
- Keywords: j.j. mccarthy, giants, nfl, jameis winston, texans, mccarthy, seahawks, nfc east, quarterback, week 7, sports, Keeping
- Source: SI — https://si.com/nfl/keeping-jj-mccarthy-bench-smart-long-term-giants
- Published: 2026-10-19T00:17:50+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: j.j. mccarthy, giants, nfl, jameis winston, texans, mccarthy, seahawks, nfc east, quarterback, week 7, sports
## Giants trade for J.J. McCarthy
Giants traded a fifth-round pick for J.J. McCarthy a few weeks ago.
## McCarthy's first game action
He threw for 243 yards in 11 minutes as a dead-in-the-water offense nearly capped a stunning 24-point comeback.
## Harbaugh's stance
Harbaugh declined to answer if McCarthy will be the Giants' quarterback moving forward.
## The question
Should McCarthy become the Giants' starting quarterback?
## McCarthy's performance
He threw a pick on his fourth attempt and another near pick that was overturned.
## McCarthy's command
He looked relatively in command during a hectic series of drives.
## McCarthy's sack
He logged a sack that was almost untakeable on the second-to-last drive.
## McCarthy's final play
He abandoned his station a bit too quickly on the team’s final play.
## McCarthy's level
McCarthy played above the level of what would have been the Giants’ third-string quarterback.
## McCarthy's talent
He flashed arm talent commensurate with a first-round pick.
## Age comparison
McCarthy is nearly a decade younger than Jameis Winston.
## Team strategy
Giants have sprinkled McCarthy to add mobility to the position with Winston.
## Team hopes
Giants need to explore upside instead of gripping tightly to a veteran’s final flailings.
## McCarthy's reps
McCarthy had very few reps during the week or practice time with Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely.
## Winston's situation
Winston was put in an awful situation against New Orleans with Cam Skattebo not playing.
## Running backs
Giants left with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary who combined for 10 carries and 32 yards.
## Running backs stats
Teams with running backs averaging around three yards per carry have a winning percentage of .344.
## McCarthy's rushing
McCarthy led the team in rushing and threw for more yards in 11 minutes than any player in NFL history.
## Winston's role
Harbaugh is attempting to play both mid-range and long-term game with McCarthy.
## Mid-range game
The mid-range game is staying afloat in the NFC East.
## Key takeaway

Giants should keep J.J. McCarthy on bench to avoid quarterback roulette and build confidence for NFC East.