“Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett plans to report to minicamp this week despite a contract impasse with the team, sources tell Josh Weinfuss and me. How much he does on the field remains uncertain. Brissett is due a $4.9M salary and wants a raise,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on X.

While Brissett is scheduled to make $4.9 million this season, that below-market figure is likely a major incentive for him to keep fighting for his spot. By showing up, he proves his commitment to the team while keeping the pressure on management to move contract talks in the right direction and secure him a raise.

A Career Year in Arizona Fueling Leverage

Brissett’s strong 2025 campaign is the primary catalyst for his contract demands. While the Cardinals struggled to a 1-11 record in his 12 starts, Brissett put up impressive individual numbers, throwing for 23 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. He also set a career-high with 3,366 passing yards, stats that clearly have him feeling confident about what he can accomplish in his second year with the system.

As a 10-year NFL veteran, Brissett has never been unleashed as a passer quite like this. He completed 315 of 485 attempts (a efficient 64.9% completion rate), proving that his arm talent is elite and that he is ready to deliver if given the opportunity, whether in Arizona or elsewhere.

If the Cardinals decide to move on from Brissett, they do have options in a post-Kyler Murray quarterback room. The depth chart features veteran Gardner Minshew II, rookie Carson Beck, and Kedon Slovis. Still, Brissett represents their most proven commodity, and how Arizona handles this dispute could shape the franchise’s trajectory for the 2026 season.

“Not much. He’s got to be here to do that,” the wide receiver opened up to the press about his connection with Brissett. However, he stated that the veteran’s position is entirely understandable: “I’m all supportive of what he’s doing. He has to do what’s best for him and his family.”

Mike LaFleur has several options at his disposal if this situation remains unresolved in the near future. As for Harrison, he’ll need to be fully prepared and ready to perform regardless of who ends up under center.

What’s going on with Brissett?

Jacoby Brissett is entering the final year of his contract with the Arizona Cardinals, under which he is scheduled to earn roughly $5.44 million for the 2026 season—a figure that includes a base salary of $4.9 million but features only $1.5 million in guaranteed money.

The 33-year-old veteran quarterback has chosen to skip the team’s voluntary Offseason Training Activities because he is actively holding out for a restructured deal with an upgrade in guaranteed cash and starter-level compensation. Following the offseason departure of Kyler Murray, Brissett expects a raise to reflect his status as the projected starter, especially after recently posting a career year with 3,366 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

Since the current Phase 3 workouts are entirely voluntary, he is not subject to fines, though Mike LaFleur and the front office remain “significantly far apart” from Brissett’s demands while new additions Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck take the first-team reps.

Alternative options for LaFleur in Arizona

With the starting quarterback position in constant analysis, the Arizona Cardinals’ depth chart features three distinct options operating under head coach Mike LaFleur. Veteran Gardner Minshew II provides a highly experienced presence, commanding the first-team reps due to his extensive eight-year NFL track record and a solid $5.75 million contract that anchors him as a premium asset in the room.

Behind him, rookie Carson Beck—selected in the third round with the No. 65 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft—is being carefully integrated, earning praise for his pre-snap communication during Phase 3 workouts as he adapts to the pro-level speed.

Rounding out the group is second-year passer Kedon Slovis, who has used his familiarity with the system to handle the second-team reps, creating a highly competitive environment as the team gears up for training camp.

In fact, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reported that Brissett and the Cardinals are “significantly” far apart in negotiations. A week ago, Mike LaFleur left plenty of doubts over Brissett’s QB1 status due to him missing all OTAs.

Meanwhile, Carson Beck and Gardner Minshew are training, getting to know their teammates and creating a bond with LaFleur. On the other hand, Brissett is coming off as greedy, and not someone that puts the team first. Bear in mind, Brissett is a career-long backup with some patches of starting football, but it’s not like he’s dominated the NFL.

Brissett has no leverage over the Cardinals

Before the Cardinals made moves, Brissett had all the leverage in the world. He was the only QB on the roster as Kyler Murray was going elsewhere, and he knew the players already.

Now, the Cardinals have two other QBs that could perfectly be at Brissett’s level. Not only that, he’s missing time with a new head coach, which means he’s getting behind in learning mannerisms, schemes, and much more. His biggest mistake is thinking he is still the guy to start. Furthermore, Brissett went 1-11 last season.

Minshew and Beck provide something Brissett doesn’t

Minshew was a starter back in the day, but even as a backup, he brings some rebel manners to his game. He is not afraid of anyone and is somewhat mobile. He also has a better career winning percentage, completion percentage, passing yards per game, and passer rating than Brissett. As for touchdowns, Minshew is just eight shy in 63 games compared to Brissett’s 101.

As for Beck, he is the rookie, the new face that could provide stability for years to come. Beck is the upside option, but has a low floor. If he develops correctly though, all things could change.

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.