Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur opens up about Jacoby Brissett contract drama

One of the unexpected storylines of the NFL offseason has involved Arizona Cardinals journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett staying away from the team for the start of the club's voluntary offseason program amid his desire for a pay raise. 

While speaking with reporters on Monday, first-year Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur indicated he isn't losing sleep over Brissett's whereabouts ahead of Memorial Day. 

Jacoby Brissett absences are fine...for now

"It's not mandatory, right? Like I've said with Jacoby and all veterans I've ever been around, they've played football," LaFleur said, per Michael Baca of the NFL's website. "The hardest thing to do in this league is get used to the speed of the game. Not just the rookie, but the second-year, third-year guy, and he's played a lot of football. He's done probably everything that we've ever done schematically. It's just a little bit different verbiage. It's the flip stuff, getting used to the game, like if a rookie's not here or a second-year guy's not here, you're like, 'Oh, crap,' because it takes a minute."

Some have suggested that Brissett's absences could prove to be a blessing in disguise for a Cardinals team that took a flier on quarterback prospect Carson Beck during the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. While Beck should receive an opportunity to compete with veteran Gardner Minshew II for the backup job, it's believed Brissett is still on track to start Arizona's Week 1 game at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 13. 

According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, "Brissett has been informed by the Cardinals that he is their starting quarterback." Some stories from earlier this spring linked Arizona with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers recently re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"We've had contact," LaFleur said about Brissett learning the team's new playbook. "I'll keep it at that."

Michael Wilson reacts to Jacoby Brissett contract saga

Also on Monday, Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson suggested that he and others in the locker room will continue to support Brissett until the signal-caller is back at workouts. 

"I'm not going to hold anything against Jacoby because he's trying to figure out his situation, which I think everyone in the building understands and can relate to that," Wilson said. "But hopefully, we can get Jacoby back whenever that situation figures itself out, but it's just business as usual."

The Cardinals' three-day mandatory minicamp is scheduled to get underway on June 8. It will hardly be business as usual for Wilson and Co. if Brissett is not spotted at the team facility on that Monday morning, but it's unclear if the 33-year-old will hold out through those sessions if he doesn't receive an adjusted contract.