Per Mike LaFleur, “It’s the same as where we were a few weeks ago… We’ve had contact, I’ll leave it at that.” Hence, Brissett’s absence from OTAs doesn’t shock the head coach, but it might open the door for another two quarterbacks.

Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck can now see how the QB1 battle can open up for them. The fact is Brissett is not exactly a top-tier QB, in fact, he’s always been a backup. For Minshew and Beck, this is great as they can go ahead and try to compete.

Minshew and Beck could be more promising than Brissett

Minshew has been a starter previously and is regarded as one of the best backups in the NFL. He is a rebel and goes beyond to try and defy the odds. Brissett is somewhat like that, but the fact is Minshew might be more accurate, though has less arm.

As for Beck, he is younger (Minshew is also younger), and has, on paper, a higher ceiling than Brissett. Beck was picked in the third round, so the fact is he could be a sleeper and might get QB1 reps if Brissett and Minshew don’t show out.

The Cardinals are underdogs in every game of the season

In a rare move, the Cardinals are the underdogs according to the Vegas odds in all 17 games of the regular season. It doesn’t matter who their opponents are, according to the bookmakers, the Cardinals are not better than them.

The report regarding the team’s depth chart hierarchy comes from Josh Weinfuss, who shared the news on X earlier this week. Weinfuss stated: “I’ve been told, as of now, Jacoby Brissett is QB1 despite him holding out for a new contract,” noting that the team is moving forward with him as the starter while negotiations continue.

Brissett established a steady floor for the offense last NFL season, setting various career highs in passing yards and touchdowns while showing the poise needed to navigate a young roster. His ability to manage games and limit turnovers remains his greatest strength, giving the Cardinals a competitive edge as they integrate new talent across the offensive line.

Cardinals depth chart QB options

Beyond Brissett, the Cardinals have a mix of high-upside youth and reliable veteran experience to round out the room. Beck arrives from the college ranks with a reputation for accuracy and postseason success, and while the plan is for him to learn as a rookie, his physical tools suggest he could push for playing time if Brissett’s contract situation remains unresolved.

Gardner Minshew II provides the most significant veteran competition, currently slotted as the QB2 with a proven history of winning games in relief roles. Minshew has amassed over 11,000 career passing yards and 68 touchdowns, offering the “Minshew Mania” spark and a dual-threat capability that can keep the Cardinals’ offense moving during unexpected absences.

Rounding out the depth chart is Kedon Slovis, a young developmental prospect entering his second season with the team after a standout college career at BYU. While he saw limited action last year, Slovis provides the franchise with a low-cost, high-potential arm that knows the playbook well.

“You know, honestly right now we’re focused on the guys that we got coming in. You got the unit that we have, you know…Gardner, and Jacoby, and Slovis. And then we draft Carson Beck in the third round. He’ll be here Thursday finally, we’re trying to do some zoom staff,” the head coach said via Jim Rome. “So, we got a room that we’re excited to work with and that’s solely where my focus is.”

It’s clear that LaFleur has experience with Brissett and Minshew, although Rodgers’ pedigree would obviously provide a significant upgrade in quality. What will ultimately be A-Rod’s destination for the upcoming 2026 season?

What role will Carson Beck play?

Following his selection as the first pick of the third round in the 2026 NFL Draft, Carson Beck enters a wide-open Arizona Cardinals quarterback room with a legitimate chance to see the field early. Coming off a stellar 2025 campaign with the Miami Hurricanes where he threw for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a highly efficient 72.4% completion rate, Beck provides the kind of polished pocket presence.

While coach Mike LaFleur has yet to name a starter for the upcoming season, the narrative in camp suggests that the QB1 battle tightens with a healthy Carson Beck now in the mix. If the rookie can translate his elite collegiate production and championship-level experience into the pro system during the summer, he may very well jump the veterans on the depth chart before the season opener.

Brissett’s current situation in Arizona

Despite being the frontrunner for the QB1 spot, Jacoby Brissett is currently at a contractual crossroads with the Arizona Cardinals. Although he is scheduled to earn a base salary of $4.88 million in 2026—with a total cap hit of $9.19 million—the veteran quarterback has notably skipped the team’s early offseason programs.

Brissett is reportedly seeking a contract extension that reflects his status as a starter, as his current deal only includes $1.5 million in guaranteed money for the upcoming season. While the front office has expressed a willingness to address his request, the recent arrival of Gardner Minshew and the drafting of Carson Beck have sparked league-wide rumors that the Cardinals could potentially move Brissett by the trade deadline if a long-term agreement isn’t reached.

Obstacles to Rodgers’ arrival in Glendale

The Steelers placed a rare UFA tender on Rodgers, allowing him to make $15 million in a 10% raise from last year. However, Rodgers could still command a bigger deal elsewhere. While the Arizona Cardinals have cap space, they may hesitate to meet these demands given their recent draft investment in Carson Beck and the signing of Gardner Minshew.

Furthermore, because of the tender, any team signing the 42-year-old veteran would have to surrender a valuable compensatory pick to Pittsburgh, a high price that likely keeps Rodgers from heading to the desert.

Per ESPN, an anonymous Power Four defensive coordinator said about Beck, “I think he’ll be solid. I don’t think he’ll be special. Whether it’s poise or accuracy at key moments, he just seems to have too many misses.”

Those are some harsh words regarding how the opposing defensive coordinators saw Beck. Now, Beck was a second-round pick, so the fact is expectations were never that high to be quite fair.

Beck landing on the Cardinals could be a make-or-break event in his career

The Cardinals could potentially have one of, if not the weakest (on paper) QB room in the NFL. Brissett and Minshew are backups fighting for a starting spot. Hence, if Beck impresses, he could get the starting gig right from the get-go.

However, if Beck fails to even make this a debate, his career might start with him being a backup and never getting the chance to become a starter. Hence, it’s one of those moments where the rookie must be ready to step up.

The Cardinals are in a bad situation overall

The Cardinals are optimistic with Mike LaFleur coming in as the head coach. Besides, they drafted a generational talent like Jeremiyah Love at running back. The Cardinals also have awesome skill position players.

Still, they are in a bad situation. They don’t have a star quarterback, their defense is not precisely elite, and the division in which they play is as tough as one can be. The San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Los Angeles Rams all had 12+ wins last season. The Cardinals had three.

When asked about Beck’s role, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said “We just announced his name [Beck] about a half hour ago. We just want to get him in the building. We’re excited to have great competition in that room and we’ll see how it shakes out.”

New head coach Mike LaFleur also spoke on the matter with kind of a similar message. “It benefits anyone at any position to be able to sit back. Sometimes guys don’t have a choice because you have to put your best 22 on the field, so we’ll see where this all shakes out.”

Carson Beck compared to Jacoby Brissett

While the comparison is tough to make since Beck hasn’t played a single snap in the NFL, styles are different. Brissett offers reliable, short-term stability as a seasoned starter, while Beck represents a high-ceiling prospect for the future.

Brissett is looking to get a new contract that resembles a payout for a starting quarterback. However, according to the general manager and head coach, he is not the starter anyway. Hence, if he wants a new contract, then he also needs to beat everyone in the QB room.

There’s a third wheel willing to play spoiler

While the narrative goes with Brissett and Beck, a certain Gardner Minshew could very well compete with both of them. Minshew has a 17-30 record, while Brissett has a 20-45 record. Minshew has a better completion percentage, passer rating, more pass yards per attempt and yards per game than Brissett.

Also, Brissett has 76 touchdowns to Minshew’s 68, but it’s eight touchdowns in 18 more games. Hence, Minshew is very well in the mix to become the starting QB, as his numbers are better than Brissett’s, and he beating Beck could be very much in the table.

Earlier this year, the Cardinals decided to release Kyler Murray, who quickly joined the Vikings. This left Arizona with a difficult choice: to enter the 2026 season with a veteran or draft a new franchise quarterback.

It was initially expected that Jacoby Brissett would take over as QB1. However, he has skipped the Cardinals’ first offseason workouts due to a contract dispute—an issue that could force Arizona to sign another signal-caller.

Brissett’s holdout may lead the Cardinals to another veteran QB

As of today, the Cardinals are not regarded as true contenders. With Kyler Murray’s exit, the biggest question revolves around the future QB1, and there is currently no clear answer.

Brissett wants a new contract. In 2025, he signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal with Arizona that runs through the 2026 season. He is aware that he is the most reliable option the club currently has and is using that as leverage.

Nevertheless, his holdout may backfire. Jimmy Garoppolo was linked to Arizona after Murray’s exit, and unfortunately for Brissett, Jimmy G is not the only veteran option available on the market.

While some believe Aaron Rodgers could be tempted by Arizona, the truth is that the NFC West is highly competitive, and he may prefer to stay in the AFC North with the Steelers.

Another real option is Russell Wilson, who has struggled since his departure from the Seahawks. However, he knows the NFC West incredibly well, which could be key in helping Arizona avoid being viewed as the worst team in the league.

Other veterans like Tyrod Taylor or Derek Carr are on the market, but Carr reportedly only has eyes for a Super Bowl contender—a status the Cardinals are far from reaching.

Are the Cardinals drafting a QB in 2026?

In recent days, the Cardinals hosted Ty Simpson for a pre-draft visit. They currently hold the No. 3 overall pick, giving them a legitimate chance to land the former Alabama standout.

However, reports suggest Arizona may not be interested in using such a high pick on a quarterback. The Cardinals might decide to trade down and wait for the later rounds to select a signal-caller, hoping to find a “hidden gem” on Day 2 or 3 of the upcoming draft.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Cardinals still have the third pick and Ty Simpson might be the answer at quarterback. However, Florio also states that the Cardinals “could, in theory, trade down and take Simpson in a lower spot. And there could be a team that sufficiently covets running back Jeremiyah Love to try to leapfrog the Titans at No. 4.”

With Jacoby Brissett no-showing the Cardinals workout due to his contract dispute, the Cardinals might go ahead and use their draft power to bring a young, big-time prospect like Simpson.

Ty Simpson’s draft spot is a mystery

While he is unarguably the second-best quarterback in this draft, his actual drafting spot is not clear at all. While many regard him as a first-round pick, it will all depend on how teams address their needs, or whether they want the best player available.

That’s why Florio doesn’t rule out the possibility of the team trading down. However, what’s clear is that the Cardinals might have a new priority given the Brissett situation. The other QB that could start for them is Gardner Minshew, who is recovering from a knee injury.

Is Ty Simpson NFL ready?

Viewed as a boom-or-bust player, Ty Simpson is for some analysts like Chase Daniel the most pro-ready QB in the draft. However, it’s not like Simpson has the ceiling of Fernando Mendoza, for instance.

Still, many praise his IQ, his ability to dissect defense’s weaknesses in the film room all the way to the field, and his accuracy. It also helps that Simpson played in an NFL-esque system like Alabama.

While Brissett won’t be fined, since this work is voluntary, it gives a clear message to the team: give the QB more money, or else. The absence was reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.

The reason, according to Rapoport is simple, Brissett’s wish is a contractual commitment that reflects a QB1 pay. As for now, he is owed a base salary of $4.88 million with $1.5 million guaranteed.

Is Brissett’s QB1 spot guaranteed?

While Brissett is clearly the frontrunner, the Cardinals also brought Gardner Minshew, though he is recovering from a knee injury. Hence, Brissett will have competition to earn his starting spot, even if he is starting with a good leeway.

Brissett threw for 3,366 yards on 64.9% completion with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. While those raw numbers aren’t bad, he still had a 1-11 record. Now, Mike LaFleur will have to decide which quarterback he will put in the starting lineup.

The Cardinals have great players and capital to turn around their situation

Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. are a very talented receiver-duo, and Trey McBride is a top-tier tight end. Also, they have a capable running back coming back in James Conner, and reports say they could pick Jeremiyah Love after a newly-picked interest.

Hence, whether it’s Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew, they will have good company to thrive, especially as it’s Mike LaFleur coming in and calling plays. Therefore, expectations are on the rise for Arizona.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon chose Jacoby Brissett over the former No. 1 pick. And while he set a new record for the most completions in a game and whatnot, the team hasn’t been any better with him.

As a matter of fact, numbers show that giving Brissett the nod has done little to help the Cardinals’ case. If anything, it may have actually hurt their chances of competing at the highest level, as shown by team insider Kyle Odegard.

Cardinals insider reveals the harsh truth of team with Jacoby Brissett

“Cardinals are now 0-5 with a -75 point differential since naming Jacoby Brissett their starting quarterback,” Odegard wrote on X.

Of course, it’s not all on the quarterback. This is a team effort, and Brissett’s underlying metrics aren’t that bad. Even so, it’s clear that Kyler Murray may not have been the one to blame.

Most reports agree that Coach Gannon is going to return for a third year in charge of the team. But with Murray most likely gone, he may have to find a new scapegoat.

This appears to be an imminent divorce between the Cardinals and Murray. On Friday, the Cardinals officially announced that Murray won’t play again this year. The contract situation states that the Cardinals owe Murray $39.8 million fully guaranteed for next season.

NBC News reported that if Murray stays on the roster for the fifth day of the 2026 league year, the Cardinals would owe $19.5 million more to the quarterback. Hence, the Cardinals need Murray to be healthy before the day the guarantee vests. This is key because if he isn’t healthy, they can’t save that money.

Jacoby Brissett hasn’t been as big of a downgrade

Brissett has played very well this season to be fair. Even if the team isn’t winning, Brissett has not been the one to blame. He is completing 67.5% for 2,188 yards and 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Cardinals need to solve their quarterback situation not because Brissett is bad, but because they need an elite talent. Brissett’s downfall is that everybody knows his ceiling, he won’t take the franchise to new heights. To be fair though, Murray has failed to do that as well.

This has happened for four-straight years

In 2022, the Raiders shut down Derek Carr to minimize future financial commitments, In 2023, the Broncos did the same with Russell Wilson and last year, the Giants did it with Daniel Jones. This is the fourth year in a row where a team sits a quarterback in hopes of saving money.

A trade also remains possible but that would mean the Cardinals would have to pay a big part of the $39.5 million that Murray would earn in 2026. Instead, they would rather cut him, which would allow him to sign a veteran minimum contract while the rest of the money is paid by Arizona.

If Brissett ends up being injured, the Cardinals have Kedon Slovis as the third option on the roster. He would be the only one able to step into that role if the team’s current quarterback can’t return to the game or misses any of the upcoming weeks.

Kedon Slovis lacks the experience to be the starter, but as the only option, and considering he is new to the NFL, the Cardinals will likely use him in a season that has gone poorly for the franchise, where little can be done now to save the year.

Brissett outperforms Kyler Murray

With the Cardinals sitting at 3-8 this season, playoff contention is largely irrelevant. However, analysts are closely examining what Brissett has been able to accomplish in a short time, statistically outpacing Kyler Murray through their respective first five-game stretches this season.

As of November 17, Brissett’s Cardinals stats stood at 1,570 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs, 7.4 YPA, and a 99.0 Rating. In comparison, through a five-game sample this season, Murray recorded only 1,262 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 6.0 YPA, and an 88.6 Rating. Even though Brissett played against some weaker defenses, like the Cowboys’, he still performed better.

The Cardinals are in a situation where they must preserve their backups carefully, as Murray has been largely unavailable in two of the last three seasons, playing only 8 games in 2023 and just 5 games this year. Only in 2024 was he able to play 17 full games by remaining healthy.