Jacoby Brissett's Cardinals deal 'not close' as the standoff drags into the second week of OTAs
Arizona's veteran backup is still not in the building. ESPN reports the gap between the two sides is meaningful and not narrowing.
Jacoby Brissett is heading into the second week of Cardinals OTAs without showing up to the team facility. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday morning that the two sides are 'not close' on a reworked contract. Brissett wants more guaranteed money than his current $4.88 million 2026 salary, only $1.5 million of which is guaranteed.
What's actually in dispute?
Money and structure. Brissett's camp wants a bump from $4.88M to roughly $7M with $5M guaranteed, in line with high-end bridge quarterbacks like Jameis Winston ($8M with the Texans) and Tyrod Taylor ($7M with the Jets). The Cardinals see Brissett as a high-end backup behind Kyler Murray (who is healthy) and don't believe the market for veteran backups supports the request. The gap is roughly $3 million in guarantees.
Why does this matter for Arizona?
Kyler Murray is the unquestioned starter when healthy. Brissett's job is to be ready when Murray isn't. Arizona started Brissett 12 times in 2025 (Murray missed the second half of the year with the knee injury that returned this offseason) and went 6-6 with him. The Cardinals' 8-9 finish would have been a 4-13 disaster without Brissett's average-veteran play. The team needs him available; the dispute is over what 'available' is worth.
What did Mike LaFleur say this week?
The first-year head coach kept his framing consistent. 'He's done everything we've done schematically. We've stayed in touch. There's no real change in how I think about it.' LaFleur also confirmed that rookie Carson Beck (the second-round pick from Miami) is taking the bulk of the second-team reps in Brissett's absence, with Clayton Tune as the third-team option.
When does this get expensive for Brissett?
Mandatory minicamp opens June 10. Missing all three days triggers approximately $107,000 in fines. Skipping training camp in late July would activate larger fines ($50,000 per day) plus possible accrued-season forfeiture. Most veteran-backup holdouts resolve before camp because the fine math becomes prohibitive once camp opens. The Brissett situation has the typical late-May feel of a deal that closes in mid-June.
What's the likely resolution?
A modest restructure that bumps the guarantee to $4 million and adds incentives that bridge to $7 million if Brissett starts more than four games. That structure preserves the Cardinals' cap discipline while giving Brissett a path to the number he's asking for. The most likely deal-closing date is roughly seven days before mandatory minicamp begins (around June 3), which is when veterans typically stop testing the team's patience and the team's negotiator finds a face-saving number.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Jacoby Brissett not close to reworked deal with Cardinals
- NFL.com: Brissett situation update
- Arizona Cardinals: On the Brissett situation update
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