Cardinals Set To Trade Jacoby Brissett Before Deadline, GMs Expect

The Arizona Cardinals conducted the first stage of their offseason as a quintessential tanking team, eating money and cap space to get out of a terrible contract with former first-overall pick Kyler Murray, bringing on an inexperienced head coach and sending signals they hoped to lose as many games as possible in 2026 to be in position to draft a quarterback as high as possible in 2027.

Next year’s quarterback class was viewed as far deeper and better than this year’s, although you tend to hear that every year, and therefore there was something of an expectation they would take prospects in this draft who might develop over time to build around whomever the next franchise quarterback is.

Instead, they took plug-and-play starters at multiple positions, including quarterback itself, at the expense of investing heavily into their needs at offensive line, which will be imperative if they are going to bleed in a first-round quarterback a year from now. 

The decision to use the third-overall pick on a running back drew tepid responses from the general managers. 

"They couldn’t get what they wanted for the pick (to trade down),” one GM told SportsBoom, “so that tells you to the market for running backs there (that high in the draft).”

Another GM said: “I love the player, but not for them there.”

What’s The Concern?

The strength of this draft was offensive line, and the Cardinals did get in the wave of double-digit offensive linemen who went between picks 9-34, but that was the only top 200 selection they used on the position group. 

And of all the quarterbacks they could have selected in the mid-rounds they took Miami’s Carson Beck, who was arguably the most experienced and ready to play of the entire class.

But with veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew already on the roster, most expected they would take a flier on QB later in the draft.

“They took the quarterback who is the most pro ready of any of them, for Week 1,” said on NFL general manager. 

“Even more than (first-overall pick Fernando) Mendoza." 

“He’s been in college six years, like I don’t think you take him there to sit. But that’s still a third-round pick you could have used on something for 2027.”

How the Cardinals handle the quarterback room will be quite interesting. 

They are still a rebuilding team that’s going to be drafting high next year, so they will be in position to land a quarterback, and the only time to look at Beck, even if only to showcase him for trade – would be 2026.

“They’ll move Brissett by the deadline,” the first GM said. “Watch.”