Jacoby Brissett played his hand just about perfectly this offseason.
Amid a tumultuous 2025 season that saw the Cardinals go 3–14 and fire head coach Jonathan Gannon, the 33-year-old provided a steadying presence. Though he posted a lowly 1–11 record as a starter, Brissett set career highs in passing yards (3,336) and passing touchdowns (26) while guiding wide receiver Michael Wilson to his best NFL season yet and tight end Trey McBride to first-team All-Pro honors. With just $4.88 million in base salary remaining on his deal and tasked with leading an offense under a new head coach in Mike LaFleur, the quarterback requested a reworked contract this spring that would reflect his value as a starter—and skipped a majority of the team’s offseason program while doing so.
Brissett did, however, report to both mandatory minicamp in June and the start of training camp last week, avoiding any potential fines while also showing a good-faith commitment to the team. Arizona ultimately rewarded him with a new deal on Sunday afternoon.
“Happy for him. Happy for our team,” LaFleur told reporters once the deal was finalized. “It was productive. For it to get done now, sooner rather than later, is good.” The coach also clarified that Brissett will take first-team reps with the Cardinals’offense when they return to practice on Tuesday.
The restructured contract is a win-win for both sides. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Brissett will now earn $15.5 million in guaranteed money in 2026 (and up to $21 million with incentives), but adds no new years to his contract, in turn clarifying the Cardinals’ quarterback outlook for 2027 and beyond.
Brissett’s new contract clears up Cardinals’ future plans at quarterback
With Brissett securing a contract that pays him like a starter, Arizona’s quarterback room now has a hierarchy in place. Behind the veteran on the depth chart are Gardner Minshew II, who signed a one-year deal with the club back in March and will take second-team reps starting Tuesday, Carson Beck, who the Cardinals selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft, and Kedon Slovis, a rising third-year player who bounced on and off Arizona’s active roster last season.
Cardinals’ quarterback depth chart
| Player | String |
|---|---|
| Jacoby Brissett | Starter |
| Gardner Minshew II | Backup |
| Carson Beck | Reserve |
| Kedon Slovis | Reserve |
The contract also clears up the Cardinals’ plans at quarterback beyond this season, as Brissett, Minshew and Slovis are all on expiring contracts in 2026—leaving Beck as the lone soldier in ’27.
Does this mean the former Miami star will be handed the starting gig in 2027? Of course not. But it at least gives him a longer runway to learn LaFleur’s offense while developing behind two respected veterans in Brissett and Minshew. Beck went 37–6 over his three seasons starting at both Georgia and Miami, throwing 88 career touchdowns and leading the Hurricanes to a spot in the national championship in 2025.
Arizona’s long-term plans will also likely be influenced by the coming quarterback class in 2027. Headlined by Arch Manning, and supplemented with Dante Moore, LaNorris Sellers and Julian Sayin, next April’s draft is shaping up to be one of the most talented in recent memory. If Arizona struggles like they did last season and ends up with a pick in the top half of the first-round, they’ll have a decision to make: move forward with Beck or use their premium capital on a potential franchise-altering player.
Either way, it’s Brissett’s gig in 2026—and an open canvas for ’27 and beyond.
