The Arizona Cardinals began rearranging their quarterback room as 2026 NFL Free Agency has launched. Gardner Minshew is now coming in. But Jacoby Brissett isn't walking away.
Longtime Arizona sports radio personality John Gambadoro revealed Monday that Minshew isn't QB1 here.
“The Arizona Cardinals signed veteran QB Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal to be the backup to Jacoby Brissett. Brissett will be the Cardinals starting QB for the 2026 season,” Gambadoro posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
The move makes sense involving Minshew as he's a career backup. Arizona is now his sixth NFL stop since the 2019 season.
Looking closely at 2026 Cardinals QB room
Brissett looks like the lock behind center with the team transitioning to Mike LaFleur as head coach. But he's not the only sure bet in scrutinizing the '26 QB room here.
Kyler Murray isn't returning to the team announcing their intentions to release him on Tuesday. This move severs ties with their former top overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray has since become linked to the Minnesota Vikings.
Jimmy Garoppolo entered the picture, though. Multiple rumblings across the league pointed to the past Super Bowl winner landing in AZ. Such a move would pit Garoppolo and LaFleur together for the third time. The two worked together with the San Francisco 49ers and more recently the Los Angeles Rams.
But Minshew's signing and Brissett expected to return likely pours cold water into Jimmy G coming to the desert. Arizona could even turn to the April draft to find LaFleur's QB of the future. Alabama star Ty Simpson is considered a contender but not at No. 3 overall. The franchise can attempt to trade into the backend of the first round or see if Simpson drops to No. 34 in the second round.
