Great question — the Brissett contract situation was one of the biggest storylines in Arizona all spring. Here's where it lands.
What the Reworked Deal Is
After months of stalemate, Brissett and the Cardinals agreed to a restructured deal worth $15.5M guaranteed and up to $21M with incentives for 2026 — a big jump from his original $4.88M deal that had only $1.5M guaranteed (from the Jacoby Brissett page). He's still a free agent after this season, so it's a one-year prove-it.
What It Means for LaFleur's QB Plans
Holdout is over, competition isn't. The biggest thing is Brissett ended his OTA holdout and will take first-team reps starting Tuesday in training camp. But HC Mike LaFleur still hasn't committed to Brissett as the Week 1 starter — he explicitly stopped short of that (from the Mike LaFleur page).
It's a "prove-it" year, not a long-term commitment. The Cardinals are still eyeing the 2027 QB class and have third-round rookie Carson Beck developing behind Brissett. LaFleur has said he'd entertain giving Beck a full audition if the Brissett experiment falters. Beck's elite weapons (Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr.) make that an appealing option (from the Arizona Cardinals page).
Minshew still looms. Gardner Minshew signed a $5.75M deal with $5M guaranteed in March, and Arizona has shown a clear willingness to pivot away from Brissett entirely if he doesn't perform.
Bottom line for LaFleur: The reworked deal removes a massive distraction and gets his most experienced QB into the building on time. But it doesn't change the fundamental reality — Brissett is a bridge QB with a 1-11 record as Arizona's starter in 2025, and LaFleur is keeping the door open for Beck to take over at the first sign of struggle.
Expert take: On Establish The Run, analysts noted: "We don't expect Brissett to be the starter late in the season. We expect to see Carson Beck at some point" — because the Cardinals aren't expected to be competitive, making the Beck audition inevitable [hear the clip](