The Arizona Cardinals have been without their projected Week 1 starter for the bulk of the offseason program, but they’ll soon see him walk through the door. Jacoby Brissett plans to report to mandatory minicamp, according to ESPN. Arizona’s minicamp opens today and runs through Wednesday, June 10. 

Brissett’s reemergence comes amid the quarterback’s ongoing contract dispute. He is entering the final year of his two-year, $12.5 million contract, which he signed in 2025 to initially serve as Kyler Murray’s backup. Brissett is set to make a base salary of $4.88 million in 2026. As he holds the inside track to be Arizona’s starter, Brissett is reportedly eyeing a revamped contract that gives him a raise that reflects his starting status. 

While Brissett is expected to report to minicamp, his participation over the three-day workout remains to be seen. By reporting, Brissett will avoid paying a $107,911 fine that would’ve been levied had he skipped minicamp altogether. However, he could elect to hold in and simply not practice, which has been a popular workaround for players in contract disputes to avoid fines while still holding firm until a new deal is reached. 

Brissett is entering his 11th season in the NFL. He came into the league as a third-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2016 out of NC State. The 33-year-old has bounced around the league and gained a reputation as one of the top-tier backups who can slot in as a starter if need be. Overall, Brissett has started 65 games in his career and owns a 20-25 record. In 101 games played, he completed 61.9% of his passes and has a passer rating of 86.4. 

Brissett started 12 games last season for Arizona, and the team went 1-11 over that stretch. In 14 total appearances, he averaged 240.4 passing yards per game, threw for 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while completing 64.9% of his passes. 

How does Brissett’s return affect Carson Beck?

Brissett coming back into the fold for mandatory minicamp is an encouraging development for Arizona. That said, even if the veteran is locked and loaded the rest of the way, it doesn’t really move the needle in the grand scheme of things. The Cardinals are the betting favorite (+250 at DraftKings Sportsbook) to finish with the fewest wins in the NFL, and that likely won’t change with this news, especially after Brissett was 1-11 as the starter in 2025. 

This is the first step in a rebuilding process for first-year coach Mike LaFleur, and part of that will be determining what he has in his quarterback room. Brissett gives them a veteran with 65 career starts under his belt and possibly presents some stability, at least out of the gate. However, it’s only a matter of time before they turn the keys of the offense over to Carson Beck, who was taken in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Miami. 

R* — rookie

Beck brings plenty of collegiate playing experience between Georgia and Miami, owning a 37-6 record in 43 career starts. The 24-year-old has more long-term upside than anyone else on the Cardinals roster, which is why it won’t be surprising to see him climb atop the depth chart at some point this year. Had Brissett stayed away from the team — or if he doesn’t partake in minicamp as a hold-in — Beck could have seen an uptick in reps, further laying the foundation for his eventual opportunity as the starter.