After skipping OTAs, veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was back with the Arizona Cardinals for Mandatory Minicamp. This comes amid a holdout for a new contract, in which the Cardinals had said that he would be the starting quarterback.
That may not be the case anymore, though, with Gardner Minshew and even rookie Carson Beck seemingly giving new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur something to think about on the quarterback front. However, he recently admitted that he’s trying not to dwell on the quarterback battle.
“I’m not really concerned about QB1 right now,” LaFleur said. “I’m concerned about these guys reporting (to training camp). Really, I’m concerned about them for the next 40 days and what they are doing … you can’t take steps backwards, and that’s not just the quarterbacks. That’s all these guys.”
Despite Brissett becoming the Cardinals’ starting quarterback midway through 2025, it’s been Minshew who has taken the majority of first-team reps this offseason. The holdout was a big part of that, but it still gave Minshew those opportunities in a new offensive system.
“We don’t play again until September,” LaFleur said. “It is June whatever-it-is. Not worried about (the QB depth chart) right now.”
Both Brissett and Minshew are battling off rookie Carson Beck. A third-round pick, Beck isn’t likely to open the season as a starter. However, if the season were to go sideways, then the Cardinals and LaFleur will probably want to know what they have there before the offseason.
Mandatory Minicamp ran from June 8-10. With that wrapped up, the players are going to get a break now, but that doesn’t mean that they’re waiting to ramp up the quarterback competition. It’s already underway.
“Shoot, I think it’s been ramped up,” LaFleur said. “Every single day is a day to compete.”
Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett Left the Door Open for the Competition
GettyArizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett
Jacoby Brissett is in the final year of his contract and decided to step away from voluntary activities this offseason while he looked for a new contract. However, the two sides haven’t come up with a new contract.
Now, even with Brissett returning to the Cardinals, he may have left the door open to losing his job. Albert Breer explained.
“The Jacoby Brissett situation in Arizona is interesting in that Brissett missing reps in a new offense now, as OTAs keep rolling, could open the door for Gardner Minshew II to swoop in and steal the job,” Breer wrote. “Yes, Arizona told Brissett that he’s the starter. But that’s not a lifetime appointment, and Minshew showing something could have an impact on Arizona’s thinking.”
Brissett played well individually last season, throwing for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns a season ago. But the wins never followed for the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Minshew also has starting experience and even made the Pro Bowl in 2023. However, a season ago, he was the backup for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Gardner Minshew Shared His Thoughts on the Quarterback Competition
GettyArizona Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew
As the offseason has gone on, Gardner Minshew has been asked about the Cardinals quarterback competition a few times. However, he has consistently downplayed that battle.
“I know me and Jacoby, we’ve been in that before,” Gardner Minshew said. “It’s not anything new to us. At the end of the day, they’re going to play who they think is giving us the best shot. I’m not going out there against Jacoby, I’m going against the defense I’m playing. He’s not going against me. He’s going against the defense he’s playing, and we’re all just trying to do what it takes to win games.”
As Minshew noted, both he and Brissett have bounced around the NFL playing in different quarterback rooms. For the most part, they’ve been backups or battling for a starting opportunity. Regardless, they know they’re on the same team.
“So, whatever that takes, however we’ve got to do it, we’re going to support each other,” Minshew said. “That’s one of the big things in the NFL. The quarterback room is kind of your safe haven, you know? And you’re going to need these guys as you’re going through the year. So, whatever the rotations is or whatever, it’s important that everybody’s together.”
It’s hard to say who is going to be the starting quarterback in Week 1 for the Cardinals. Regardless, Arizona will have someone who wants to prove themselves and win games under center.
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