Jacoby Brissett contract news gives Cardinals a sigh of relief

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Jacoby Brissett contract news gives Cardinals a sigh of relief

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 26, 2026 4:50 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals should now be settled at quarterback heading into the 2026 season.

On Sunday, multiple reports shared that the Cardinals and QB Jacoby Brissett agreed to a reworked one-year, $15.5M deal that could be worth up to $21M in incentives, ending his holdout. He was set to enter the second year of a $12.5M deal before saying yes to this new contract.

"It's good, happy for him, happy for our team," Cardinals rookie head coach Mike LaFleur told the media while confirming Brissett is now set to start Week 1. "For it to get done now, sooner rather than later, is good."

It's great timing for the Cardinals, who now know their plan at the most important position as they dive into training camp.

The Cardinals and QB Jacoby Brissett, have reached agreement on a reworked contract with a new one year deal worth $15.5M with a chance to make $21M, per multiple sources.

With the rework, Brissett gets a significant pay increase as he was in the second year of a two-year deal… pic.twitter.com/sSnogsSroZ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 26, 2026

“It’s good, you know, happy for him, happy for our team.”

Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur on Jacoby Brissett signing a new deal for $15.5 million. pic.twitter.com/Y7iinJXfC6
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) July 26, 2026

Cardinals would've been in even more trouble at QB if Jacoby Brissett had not agreed to a new deal

Journeyman Brissett, who has played for six teams in 10 seasons, isn't a franchise QB. That said, he's the best option the Cardinals have.

Arizona's QB room also features Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck. Minshew, a 2019 sixth-round pick, has gone 2-8 in his last 10 starts for the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs, throwing nine touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.

The Cardinals took Beck, a former Miami Hurricanes/Georgia Bulldogs star, with pick No. 65 in the third round of 2026 NFL Draft. He threw 88 TD passes and 32 interceptions over the course of his six-year college career, but scouts view him as a game manager who lacks high-end upside. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein named Carolina Panthers backup QB Kenny Pickett as his comp for Beck in his scouting report.

Last season, Brissett replaced Kyler Murray (now with the Minnesota Vikings) after he suffered a foot injury in Week 5. He went 1-11 in 12 starts but completed 315-of-485 passes (64.9 percent, a hair above league average) for 3,366 yards, 23 TD passes and eight interceptions.

The Cardinals should remain one of the NFL's bottom feeders after going 3-14 last season. Arizona would have even more to worry about if Brissett were still holding out just before its regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers (CBS, 4:25 p.m. ET) on Sept. 13.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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