Rookie Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur took the helm of his first day of OTAs Monday without his presumed starting quarterback.
Jacoby Brissett remained away from Cardinals offseason activities as he reportedly seeks a new contract.
Brissett joined the Cardinals in 2025 as Kyler Murray’s backup making backup quarterback money — $12.5 million over two years. But he started 12 games in his first season in Arizona as the Cardinals paved the path for Murray’s eventual exit.
The Cardinals were so desperate to part with Murray that they let him walk for nothing while still on the hook for a roughly $55 million cap hit. That left Brissett at the top of the depth chart.
And now that he’s in line to start for Arizona, he presumably wants to be paid more like a starter. With Brissett absent Monday, LaFleur was left to answer questions about his quarterback.
He downplayed the impact of a veteran like Brissett missing OTAs.
Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur says he’s “had contact” with QB Jacoby Brissett and things remain “where we were a few weeks ago.”
Brissett was absent to start voluntary OTAs. pic.twitter.com/vcwEiYL1nE
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) May 18, 2026
“Like I’ve said with Jacoby and all veterans I’ve ever been around, they’ve played football,” he said. “The hardest thing to do in this league is get used to the speed of the game. And even for — not just the rookie, but the second- or 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. … If a rookie’s not here or a second-year guy’s not here, you’re like, ‘oh crap,’ because it takes a minute.”
As for the state of negotiations between Brissett and the Cardinals, LaFleur kept his answer brief.
“We’ve had contact, I’ll keep it at that,” LaFleur continued.
More Cardinals dysfunction?
OTAs are voluntary. Players aren’t contractually required to attend offseason activities until mandatory minicamp in June. But a rookie head coach running his first set of OTAs without his presumed starting quarterback is certainly not good news for the Cardinals, regardless of Brissett’s veteran status.
The Cardinals are reportedly open to working with Brissett on adjusting his deal. If they’re going to figure one out, sooner is obviously better for the team’s chances of success during a critical transition.
Brissett’s absence could potentially put his spot at the top of the depth chart in peril.
The Cardinals selected former Georgia and Miami quarterback Carson Beck in the third round of April’s NFL Draft. Veteran former NFL starter Gardner Minshew is also sitting behind Brissett on the depth chart.
The longer Brissett remains absent, the more opportunity Beck and Minshew have to make their case for the starting job.