The ongoing contract negotiations between Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals seem to be facing a significant hurdle, perhaps as stark as the disparity between the worst team in the NFC West and the rest of the division.
Brissett and the Cardinals are reportedly quite far apart regarding a contract review. This situation has intensified since he moved into the starting position with Kyler Murray’s recent transfer to the Vikings.
Interestingly, Brissett has chosen to skip voluntary offseason training due to the contract dispute. There’s a chance he could also miss Organized Team Activities (OTAs) this week, which might lead to fines if he skips mandatory minicamp set for June 8-10.
Currently, Brissett is under a contract worth $4.8 million, with potential incentives bringing the total to about $5.39 million. However, only $1.5 million of that is guaranteed, making it fair to say the deal isn’t favorable for him.
No starter in the league earns less than the Raiders’ Kirk Cousins, whose second contract pays him $11.3 million. This is particularly relevant since Cousins is merely a placeholder for the top draft pick, Fernando Mendoza, who has become one of the highest-paid players in NFL history. On top of that, the Cardinals also signed Gardner Minshew as a backup for a year at $5.75 million, with $5.1 million guaranteed — a contrast that makes Brissett’s situation even more complicated.
If Brissett is expecting a substantial pay increase, he might be misjudging the Cardinals’ ambitions for a championship run in 2026.
The Cardinals are projected to struggle this season under new head coach Mike LaFleur. If things go south, they might find themselves in a position to draft elite college quarterbacks like Arch Manning or Dante Moore in the 2027 draft.
Minshew’s record (17-30, with 68 touchdowns and 35 interceptions) isn’t vastly different from Brissett’s (20-45, with 76 touchdowns and 32 interceptions), which raises further questions about their competitiveness.
Additionally, the Cardinals picked Carson Beck in the third round, which hints at a possible future where he could be groomed as a long-term solution at quarterback.
Earlier this week, Mike LaFleur mentioned that discussions about Brissett’s contract have not evolved much from where they were a few weeks ago.
Last season, Brissett managed 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading the Cardinals, finishing with a 1-11 record. He faced tough competition from playoff teams like the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers, with the Seahawks even going on to win the Super Bowl.
