By admin 
The New York Giants are one hit away from having J.J. McCarthy as their quarterback.
Read more Miami/Cincinnati – Score Predictions Point to a Cincinnati Victory
The Giants listed McCarthy as their No. 2 quarterback and had Jake Haener as the emergency No. 3 quarterback for their Week 5 road game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday in Landover, Maryland.
The Giants acquired McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 fifth-round pick on Sept. 28, and he was active for the second straight week. He started the game Sunday as the backup to starting quarterback Jameis Winston.
J.J. McCarthy Named Giants’ Backup Quarterback
Haener was the backup and McCarthy the Giants’ third-string quarterback in their 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4.
But the Giants had packages drawn up for McCarthy, even though he didn’t play against Arizona. The Giants have raved about his retention and growth in offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s offense, which is why McCarthy has already moved ahead of Haener to No. 2 on the depth chart.
The Giants acquired McCarthy to give themselves quarterback depth behind Winston due to Jaxson Dart’s torn meniscus and MCL, sustained in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Read more Miami/Cincinnati Depth Charts Show Experience Gap and Injury Stress Points
But the Giants surely believe McCarthy, the 23-year-old No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, can mimic Dart’s athleticism in Nagy’s offense.
Giants Week 5 Inactive Players
Haener was technically inactive, serving as the No. 3 quarterback behind Winston and McCarthy.
Here is the full list of Giants inactive players for their Week 5 game.
- Defensive lineman Bobby Jamison-Travis
- Running back Devin Singletary
- Quarterback Jake Haener (emergency No. 3 quarterback)
- Safety Jason Pinnock
- Offensive lineman J.C. Davis
- Cornerback Nikko Reed
Pinnock was the only injured player. He was inactive due to a concussion.
The Giants also elevated wide receiver Dalen Cambre and edge rusher Trace Ford from their practice squad. Those players were elevated to replace outside linebacker Chauncey Golston (neck) who was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week.
Singletary was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive week after playing the first two games. Davis and Jamison-Travis are in the midst of redshirt-style seasons.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 10:11 AM.