Report: Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett set to join mandatory minicamp after contract holdout

The Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback situation will get a key reset this week, with Jacoby Brissett reportedly planning to report to mandatory minicamp after a contract holdout that kept him away from the team’s voluntary offseason work. ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss and Jeremy Fowler reported that Brissett is expected to be on site for the mandatory practices, following a period in which he and the club worked through what has been described as a stalled pay discussion. For a team that has been trying to organize its offense around a defined quarterback plan, the difference between showing up and staying away can shape the early learning curve.

Arizona’s own reporting in early May framed the issue as ongoing but not resolved. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said he and Brissett had been in communication and that “everything is good from a dialogue standpoint,” while also emphasizing that the work Brissett was skipping was voluntary. At that time, Arizona reported Brissett had not participated in the voluntary offseason activities, even as the team opened on-field sessions for rookies including quarterback Carson Beck.

The financial context matters because Brissett’s request has been characterized as a desire to be paid like a starting quarterback for the 2026 season. Arizona’s team write-up put Brissett at a salary of $4.9 million for the year, with $1.5 million guaranteed. If a quarterback’s status within the building is viewed as “starter-caliber,” the lack of a corresponding contract number can create leverage battles that spill into offseason logistics, even when both sides insist the goal is to keep the relationship functional.

Mandatory minicamp for veterans and rookies is scheduled to run June 8-10, and Arizona has described that as the only mandatory part of its offseason program. That makes Brissett’s reported decision notable not just as a gesture, but as a return to the one stretch of practices the club can require. The Cardinals’ timeline also places minicamp immediately after the voluntary phases of OTAs, meaning any time Brissett missed had already carried over into extra time spent installing and synchronizing without him.

How much Brissett does on the field once he arrives is expected to be watched closely. The quarterback room will have to account for continuity across timing, protections, and communication, particularly with a roster that includes at least one notable rookie quarterback arrival and a broader developmental track behind the starter. Mandatory minicamp attendance is not the same as in-season work, but for teams building offensive structure early, it is often the first chance to measure whether the quarterback group is aligned.

The contract question will likely remain the subtext of every practice report. While Arizona has publicly emphasized dialogue and expectations, national reporting indicates the two sides had not reached a full meeting of the minds. Brissett’s presence, if consistent over June 8-10, would reduce uncertainty for the Cardinals’ offseason workflow. But it would not automatically end the leverage dynamic; it would mainly change the atmosphere from absence-driven to performance-and-deal driven.

What to watch next is whether Brissett stays through all three days of mandatory minicamp and whether the team’s quarterback reps settle into a clear pattern. If attendance holds, the Cardinals can move their attention from “will he be here” to “how is the offense operating,” which is where the next stage of roster and play-calling evaluation usually begins. If the contract impasse drags on, though, the focus may quickly return to whether Arizona and Brissett can translate offseason cooperation into a longer-term agreement before training camp.