Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett wants everyone to know he is showing up to work whether the contract issue gets resolved or not.
Brissett posted a photo to Instagram Stories on Wednesday of himself throwing with Cardinals teammates in South Florida. In the shot: Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, and Simi Fehoko. That is not a random workout group. That is the top of the Cardinals’ pass-catching depth chart. That is a quarterback telling the front office he is invested in the team even while the contract talks are going sideways.
The context matters. Brissett signed a one-year deal with Arizona this offseason to serve as the veteran bridge behind Kyler Murray. He has been open about wanting a longer-term commitment. The Cardinals have been slow-walking negotiations, which is standard NFL negotiating strategy but not something a player who has been in the league for 10 years appreciates.
The Instagram post is Brissett’s way of not making this a controversy. He is not holding out. He is not skipping voluntary work. He is showing up, working with the guys, and doing it publicly so the story around him stays positive. That is the mature veteran approach.
What Arizona has to figure out is whether Brissett is more valuable as a locker room presence and long-term insurance policy or as a movable piece if a contender comes calling. Kyler Murray is coming off ACL surgery. Even with him fully healthy, the Cardinals need a real backup plan. Brissett provides one.
The Cardinals also cannot ignore how few real backup quarterbacks there are in the league. Brissett has started 62 NFL games. He has played for New England, Indianapolis, Miami, Cleveland, Washington, and now Arizona. When he plays, he does not lose games he should win. That has value in a division where anything can happen and Kyler’s durability is a legitimate question.
The picture posted also puts pressure on the front office in an interesting way. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the future of this offense. If Brissett is spending his summer building chemistry with him, Arizona would be smart to make sure Brissett is available to translate that chemistry into game reps if Murray misses time.
Trey McBride is a top-three tight end in the league. Elijah Higgins is a developmental piece with real upside. Simi Fehoko is a special teams contributor with size. That entire group being in Florida with the backup quarterback in July is more organized than most teams’ voluntary summer work.
The Cardinals have to get this done. Brissett is not asking for the moon. A two-year extension with modest guarantees would be more than fair for a player who is showing up, doing the work, and building the room around him without complaining publicly.
Contract disputes usually get uglier as camp approaches. Brissett is handling his the exact opposite way. Arizona should reward that behavior before training camp opens on July 22. If they do not, they are going to look silly when a smart contender pays him what he has earned.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
