Jacoby Brissett skips Cardinals OTAs as a $4.88 million contract dispute drags into May
Mike LaFleur opened his first Arizona offseason without his bridge quarterback. The veteran wants starter money on a backup deal.
Jacoby Brissett was not in Arizona when the Cardinals opened voluntary OTAs on Monday. The 32-year-old veteran started 12 games for Arizona last season after Kyler Murray's knee injury. He wants to be paid more like the starter he was for most of 2025 than the backup his contract reflects.
What does Brissett's contract actually look like?
He signed a two-year deal in March 2025. He is scheduled to earn $4.88 million in 2026, only $1.5 million of which is guaranteed. The figure is in line with high-end backup quarterbacks, well below what teams pay bridge starters. After 12 starts and a 6-6 record last season behind a banged-up offensive line, Brissett's camp argues the number should rise.
What did the Cardinals say?
Head coach Mike LaFleur (the former 49ers and Rams assistant in his first head-coaching job) downplayed the absence. 'Like I've said with Jacoby and all veterans I've ever been around, they've played football,' LaFleur said. 'He's done probably everything that we've ever done schematically, it's just a little bit different verbiage.' He also confirmed the team has stayed in contact with Brissett and that the contract talks are 'same as where we were a few weeks ago.'
Why is this a meaningful absence?
Kyler Murray is recovering from offseason knee work and is not throwing in team periods yet. Rookie Carson Beck, taken in the second round of the 2026 draft out of Miami, was the only quarterback running the first OTA practice. The Cardinals' install schedule is heavier than usual because LaFleur is bringing a new offensive system from his time as Rams pass-game coordinator under Sean McVay.
How does this typically end?
Voluntary OTAs (Phase 2 and 3 of the offseason program) carry no contractual penalty for missed days. Mandatory minicamp in mid-June is the next checkpoint where Brissett would face fines (about $107,000 if he misses all three days). Most contract holdouts for non-elite players resolve before training camp in late July, either with a modest restructure or a face-saving incentive package that bumps the number into the $7 million range.
What's the realistic 2026 plan?
Arizona's depth chart has Murray as the projected Week 1 starter, Brissett as the experienced backup, and Beck as the developmental third QB. Murray's contract runs through 2028 and his playoff push is the franchise's priority. Brissett is the insurance policy the Cardinals can't afford to lose this offseason given what happened to Murray in 2024. The team has every incentive to find a number that works.
Players in this story
Sources
- NFL.com: Mike LaFleur not worried about Brissett's absence from voluntary OTAs
- Yahoo Sports: LaFleur downplays Brissett's OTA absence
- NBC Sports: Brissett not present as Cardinals start OTAs
- Cardinals: On Jacoby Brissett situation and the first OTA for Carson Beck
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