There’s now a standoff in Arizona, which will lead the Cardinals to decide on what they want to do with QB Jacoby Brissett. Despite not being named the starter, Brissett is demanding a new contract as he’s not part of phase one of the Cardinals’ offseason workout program. It’s an awkward situation for the Cardinals, who felt confident about sticking between Brissett and new free-agent signee Gardner Minshew as their top options at the position. If the Cardinals wind up trading Brissett instead, they could turn their attention to Ty Simpson in the NFL Draft this year.
Even though the Cardinals are willing to extend Brissett’s contract, it’s odd that he’s demanding starter money. Originally selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the 33-year-old capped off the 2025 regular season as the starter, stepping in for former QB Kyler Murray. He didn’t help the Cardinals win more games, but he kept this team intact from giving up. It wasn’t anything spectacular, especially since Brissett didn’t lead the Cardinals to the postseason.
Cardinals Holdout Could Lead to Blockbuster NFL Draft Jacoby Brissett Trade
Time to Move On
The best bet is for the Cardinals to draft Simpson with the No. 3 pick in the first round next week. The Cardinals have a new head coach and one of the best offensive supporting casts in the league, and that’s the type of environment that a young quarterback like Simpson can thrive in. This would allow Minshew to be a new bridge for the Cardinals’ offense, which he can mentor Simpson in this upcoming regular season.
It’s hard to envision the Cardinals giving a new deal, especially for a quarterback who’s getting older. Unless they can work out a bargain, a trade during the third day of the NFL Draft is expected.
Potential Fits
New York Jets
The Jets are favorites to draft a quarterback in this year’s draft, but they won’t in the first round. New York brought back Geno Smith in hopes he could brush up the offense for his second tenure with the team. However, if they want to seek competition while building a new quarterback, they could trade for Brissett. It would allow Smith and Brissett to battle for the starting role, and while Brissett won’t be the long-term answer, it’s better than nothing.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Meanwhile, the Steelers are waiting on Aaron Rodgers. They have yet to receive an answer, and that will likely intrigue the team to draft a quarterback instead. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are waiting for an opportunity, which they’ll get their chance, but why not get Brissett in the mix? The Steelers can take a step back this upcoming season to have a QB competition between the three until they feel good about a starter that can hand off to the new draftee.
Miami Dolphins
With Malik Willis arriving in Miami, the Dolphins might not want to keep Quinn Ewers if they feel good about Willis. The Dolphins could trade for Brissett as their bridge. While it might be unreasonable for the Dolphins to trade Ewers early, at the same time, it might not be ideal to hold him back from starting.
