Cardinals, Jacoby Brissett in 'agreement' amid contract uncertainty

Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett stayed away from the Arizona Cardinals throughout voluntary springtime workouts amid his desire for an adjusted contract that would include a pay raise. Later, he was mostly a spectator during the club's mandatory minicamp in June. 

Veteran Cardinals players are due to report for training camp on Wednesday. During Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's "The Insiders" program, league reporter Ian Rapoport offered an update on the contract saga that has hovered over the Cardinals for months.

Cardinals believe Jacoby Brissett "is due a new deal"

"My understanding of the situation is the Arizona Cardinals are in agreement that Jacoby Brissett deserves more money," Rapoport said. "The two sides have been negotiating for several months. They have not yet agreed on a number, but they do believe that he is due a new deal and deserves one."

ESPN's Josh Weinfuss has said multiple times over the past few months that Brissett was "informed by the Cardinals that he is their starting quarterback" for the 2026 season. On Tuesday, Rapoport referred to Brissett as Arizona's "starter going into the season."

According to Weinfuss, Brissett is scheduled to earn $4.88M for the upcoming campaign, only $1.5M of which is guaranteed. That deal also includes $510,000 in active-game bonuses. 

In the modern NFL, that's the type of contract a backup signal-caller plays under. 

Could Jacoby Brissett hold out?

The Cardinals also have 2026 third-round draft pick Carson Beck and veteran backup Gardner Minshew II in their quarterback room. There has been no indication that either will be given a chance to compete for the starting job this summer, and it also sounds like Brissett won't hold out for the start of training camp. 

"It just doesn't make a ton of sense to give up guaranteed money," Rapoport said about Brissett possibly accepting fines to stay away from the Cardinals during training camp. "What we might see, though, is for players who do not have new contracts...is a hold-in, which is a player saying, 'You know what? I'm under contract. I'm going to be here. I'm not giving up my guaranteed money, not putting myself at risk, but you can watch me just stand there until you get a new deal done.' ...But the fact that he was there at mandatory minicamp certainly makes me think [that] holding out is probably not in the cards for Jacoby Brissett."

It remains to be seen how first-year Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur will react if Brissett doesn't take part in the first team practices of training camp. For now, it continues to sound like Arizona and Brissett will eventually work something out before the Cardinals and Carolina Panthers face off in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6.