In late September, the Vikings sent quarterback J.J. McCarthy — the tenth overall pick in the 2024 draft — to the Giants for only a fifth-round pick. And the Eagles, who are trying to end a six-game losing streak, have to deal with McCarthy on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio addressed the various changes the Giants have made since last season, capped by his take on the Giants landing McCarthy to replace Jaxson Dart, who’s out for the year with a knee injury suffered in Week 2.
“They’ve got a really good offense,” Fangio told reporters. “They’ve got skill at the receiving position. They did a nice job raiding the Ravens, not only for John [Harbaugh], but for [tight end Isaiah] Likely and [fullback Patrick] Ricard. They’ve got a lot of the Ravens type offense that they had when [New York Giants senior offensive assistant] Greg [Roman] was there, and they’ve intermixed Kansas City type passing in there with [offensive coordinator] Matt [Nagy]. They’ve got it going right now. They’ve got good wideouts, good tight ends, two good backs. The quarterback has come in, in a short period of time and really done a nice job, for them to get him for a sixth-round pick is a steal.”
It was a fifth-round pick, not a sixth-round. But it was still a steal.
The Giants were desperate for help at quarterback. The Vikings were, apparently, desperate to unload McCarthy. Desperate enough to take a fifth-round pick, even though the Vikings possibly would have needed him to play at some point this season.
The end result is that the tables have quickly turned, and that the Giants are now the top dogs while the Eagles are currently all alone in one of the weakest divisions in football. And the idea that the Eagles beating the Giants in Philadelphia would be viewed as an upset says it all.