The Arizona Cardinals made tough choices, and their decision likely means a run-it-back situation for Jacoby Brissett. And here is the biggest mistake the Cardinals made during Week 1 of 2026 NFL free agency.
Let’s first be fair to the Cardinals. They made a decent signing by getting running back Tyler Allgeier. Picking up guard Isaac Seumalo helps a bunch. And maybe Kendrick Bourne is a quality grab for a WR3.
And it should be pointed out that free agents weren’t exactly flocking to Arizona to play for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur. But the Cardinals missed out on the position that matters most.
Cardinals’ failure to sign a QB hurts
OK, it was inevitable, it seems, that Kyler Murray was not going to be wearing a Cardinals uniform in 2026. His time was done in Arizona.
However, Murray presented the type of player that gave the Cardinals a chance to have a winning season. To be blunt, Brissett does not.
In 10 NFL seasons, Brissett has compiled a record of 20-45. The only year he produced a mark of .500 came way back in 2016. That was his rookie season. He filled in for Tom Brady and went 1-1.
But let’s put even that season in perspective. That was a 14-2 team. The Patriots won the Super Bowl that year. So, they lost only two games all year. And, yes, one of them came with Brissett as the starting quarterback.
Still, that’s ancient history, right? Well, how about the modern version? In Brissett’s last 17 NFL starts, he has a record of … wait for it … 2-15. Yep.
In 2025, Brissett threw for 3,366 yards in 12 starts. He totaled 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Brissett is the fun answer to a trivia question. What NFL quarterback shares the all-time NFL record for interception percentage with Aaron Rodgers at 1.4? Yep, it’s Brissett. But if he starts the entire 2026 season, he may lose that honor.
For the Cardinals to hang their hat on Brissett is like thumbing their nose at the fans for this season.
But what about the Cardinals picking a QB in the draft?
They have the No. 3 overall selection. But unless the Raiders have a shocking change of mind with the No. 1 overall pick, the Cardinals will be picking someone like edge rusher David Bailey.
Now, if you listen to ESPN, you might see a window of opportunity. Jordan Reid said the Cardinals might trade and slip back into the first round.
“I have them trading back into the bottom of the first round to acquire their QB of the future,” Reid wrote. “(Ty) Simpson is a perfect fit in new coach Mike LaFleur's offense. Simpson operates well off play-action but makes his best throws in the short and intermediate areas. His lack of starting experience (15 starts) makes him a bit of a risk here.
“But Arizona still has veteran Jacoby Brissett for another year to serve as a bridge until Simpson is ready to be the QB1.”
OK, so it could erase a big part of the Cardinals’ free-agency mistake. If the idea wasn’t to hand the keys to Brissett for the whole season, then maybe. They could let Brissett start for five or six games, go 1-5 or 0-6, and then turn things over to Simpson.
And Simpson seems to like the idea, according to a post on X by Donnie Druin.
“Yeah, I met with the Cardinals,” Simpson said. “It was my first interview, and just super great organization. (GM) Mr. Monti (Ossenfort) is a great guy. Coach LaFleur is a super ball guy, Coach (Nathaniel) Hackett. All those guys, they love football, they're a quarterback-driven organization, because they're very familiar with the quarterback position. And I would love to be a Cardinal. I think that they're a great organization.”
Great plan. However, there’s no guarantee Simpson slips deep enough into the first round to give the Cardinals a chance to trade up and grab him.
Surprises happen all the time in the draft. And when it’s a fringe potential franchise quarterback, teams sometimes make the shocking pick.
So instead of putting their money on Malik Willis, which seemed like a possibility, the Cardinals will ride with Brissett. And perhaps hope things work out to get Simpson.
Perhaps LaFleur will do surprisingly well in leading the Cardinals to a good season. But the situation at the quarterback position makes it seem unlikely.
