Jacoby Brissett skips Arizona Cardinals OTAs seeking extension

This is not a playoff-contending team managing reps for an established franchise quarterback. This is a rebuilding organization that just turned the page on Kyler Murray, cycling through another quarterback room reset, and is now asking Brissett to stabilize uncertainty. Brissett has been vocal about getting a pay raise in 2026, as he believes he has earned the right to be the guy for Arizona and be paid as such.

At 31, Brissett understands this may be one of his final opportunities to secure meaningful, guaranteed money. He has spent most of his career as the dependable bridge quarterback and has been respected and experienced, but rarely viewed as a long-term answer. Arizona offers him something valuable, such as starting reps and temporary control of an offense. In return, he appears to want financial commitment beyond 2025.

The problem is that the Cardinals have little incentive to give it to him. Arizona is rebuilding, not chasing a championship window, and Brissett wouldn’t be the guy if they were. Paying premium money to a quarterback with a limited ceiling contradicts the direction of the roster. The Cardinals drafted Carson Beck for a reason, and every missed OTA rep potentially accelerates Beck’s development and opens more opportunities for the rookie to earn trust internally.

That is why this situation matters beyond attendance sheets. Brissett is betting the Cardinals need stability badly enough to negotiate. Arizona is betting patience matters more than short-term comfort. If neither side blinks, the real winner could become Beck, the quarterback quietly waiting for the rebuild to become his team.