Cardinals quarterback Brissett ends holdout to attend minicamp

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has ended his holdout of the entire offseason program by reporting for the team's mandatory minicamp in Tempe this week. The move resolves a standoff that saw Brissett miss all of Phase 1 and Phase 2, as well as the three Organized Team Activities, while he awaited a restructured contract for the 2026 season.

Under the NFL collective bargaining agreement, Brissett faced potential fines totalling $107,911 if he failed to report. His current two-year deal, signed in March 2025, pays him $4.88 million with only $1.5 million guaranteed. The Cardinals have indicated that Brissett is the presumed starter for the upcoming season, a role he assumed after starting 12 games last year.

Despite his return to the facility, sources indicate it remains uncertain how much on-field work Brissett will participate in during the practices scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. A new agreement is unlikely to be finalised before the minicamp concludes, with sources noting that both sides were significantly far apart in negotiations as recently as May.

The contract structure has drawn comparisons to fellow quarterback Gardner Minshew II, whom Arizona signed as a free agent in March. Minshew secured $5.14 million guaranteed by the team for 2026, a figure that contrasts with the limited guarantee in Brissett’s current arrangement. Brissett’s deal has the potential to grow to $5.39 million, but the immediate financial terms remain a point of contention.

Brissett’s status as the presumed starter follows a strong performance last season. After replacing an injured Kyler Murray in Week 6, Brissett finished 2025 as the NFL’s top-ranked quarterback from that point onwards in dropbacks, play-actions, completions, and attempts. He also ranked second in passing yards and fourth in completion percentage above expected.