Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett skips OTAs, seeks 2026 contract revision

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett did not participate in the team’s first voluntary Organized Team Activities on Monday, May 20, under new head coach Mike LaFleur, as talks continue over revising the 2026 season of his two-year contract. Team officials acknowledged his continued absence from the voluntary offseason program and emphasized that Monday’s work was optional.

LaFleur said the club remains in communication with Brissett and declined to share specifics on negotiations. The Cardinals are scheduled to hold a mandatory minicamp from June 8 to 10.

Brissett’s position reflects a push to improve security in the final year of his deal. He is slated to earn $4.88 million in 2026, with $1.5 million guaranteed, plus $510,000 in active-game bonuses. By comparison, fellow quarterback Gardner Minshew II has $5.14 million guaranteed for 2026. Those figures have framed the current discussions about the veteran’s compensation and role.

Contract status and coach’s stance

LaFleur said the status of talks over a reworked 2026 season is essentially unchanged from recent weeks and reiterated that OTAs are voluntary. He added that Brissett’s experience should help him acclimate quickly to the new offense once he returns, noting that the primary adjustment under a first-time head coach is terminology rather than concepts. The staff has remained in contact with the quarterback while the business side plays out.

The club has not indicated any disciplinary implications because the sessions are voluntary. Brissett has not attended any of the team’s voluntary offseason work to date. Any resolution in the coming weeks would determine how many on-field reps he logs before training camp, and how soon he can begin syncing with LaFleur’s preferred install schedule.

Role, performance context and locker-room view

A person familiar with team plans indicated Brissett has been told he is the starting quarterback, a shift from March, when after Kyler Murray’s release the team had not publicly positioned him as the starter-in-waiting. Clarity on depth-chart language often follows contract clarity, and both items remain in focus as the offseason program advances.

Brissett started 12 games for Arizona last season. From Week 6 onward, tracking data showed he led quarterbacks in several volume categories — including dropbacks, play-action attempts, completions and total attempts — while ranking second in passing yards and fourth in completion percentage over expected. That production underpins his case as the veteran option to steer LaFleur’s first season.

Wide receiver Michael Wilson expressed understanding of Brissett’s decision and said the locker room would continue with “business as usual” while the situation is resolved. Wilson credited the quarterback’s influence on his own breakout campaign, which he finished with 78 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Cardinals reconvene for their mandatory minicamp on June 8-10. How negotiations progress — and whether Brissett takes the field for the first compulsory work of the offseason — will shape Arizona’s quarterback picture heading into training camp.