The Cardinals enter 2026 with a big question mark under center.
They still don’t have an answer. Arizona has two options at quarterback — 2025 midseason backup Jacoby Brissett and veteran Gardner Minshew — but is no closer to deciding on a preferred starter.
“Look, we got Jacoby, Gardner — they both played a lot of ball,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort told reporters Thursday. “You know, I think, as we sit here today, we’re trying to set up a system. You guys (coach Matt LaFleur’s staff) are rolling. You know, I’ll defer to you on that, but we’re not really naming anybody, and we’ll see what the room looks like when we get to August.”
Ossenfort’s response is consistent with how the Cardinals have addressed the issue publicly since Minshew was added in March: We have two options, we like both, and we’re nowhere near deciding which is our favorite. Since Brissett had started 12 games last season and the Cardinals signed Minshew to a one-year, $5.75 million contract, many assumed Brissett would be the default starter. That’s not the case at this point though.
“There are certain positions that you feel very comfortable with and I feel very comfortable with the quarterback position. Why? Because both of those guys have played a lot of football,” LaFleur said. “So, right now, none of that is up for debate because all we’re trying to do is get a basic element of what this system looks like. And so, as I keep telling the guys, we have the basic elements of what we want it to look like, but we’re going to match it to the capabilities of what these guys can do.
“We’re not going to be the Rams, we’re not going to be the Niners, we’re not going to be the Packers, we’re not going to be anybody but the Arizona Cardinals. The best offenses I’ve been involved with organically have reached that point.”