Jacoby Brissett Returns to Practice Amid Ongoing Contract Negotiations

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  Josh WeinfussJul 23, 2026, 8:13 PM ET

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  Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett took part in the team’s opening training‑camp practice Thursday while negotiations for a new contract continue.

Brissett, who skipped the voluntary offseason workouts and was a hold‑in during mandatory minicamp in June, joined drills alongside Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck and Kedon Slovis. During each rotation he went last, easing back into the flow.

As first‑year head coach Mike LaFleur had indicated, Brissett was on the field.

During his pre‑practice press conference, LaFleur confirmed Brissett would practice. When questioned why Brissett appeared after missing every other offseason session, LaFleur replied succinctly.

“He’s here. He’s under contract, and today is the first day of practice,” LaFleur said.

He added that discussions with Brissett’s representatives are “still ongoing” and characterized them as productive. Brissett is slated to earn a base salary of $4.88 million, with $1.5 million guaranteed, and could reach $5.39 million through incentives.

Asked whether Brissett’s presence sparks a quarterback competition, LaFleur described the session simply as “Practice 1 on July 23.”

With Brissett back, LaFleur said the goal is to bring him up to speed on Arizona’s offensive system — cadence, formations, the no‑huddle package, the passing and running games — essentially every facet.

“We’re not focused on past accomplishments,” LaFleur continued. “Our aim is to improve day by day, build consistency, and see how good we can become. As I told him yesterday, we don’t need a peak on July 23; we need to get better today, compete today, and lay the foundation for the rest of the season.”

He concluded, “When we reach September 13, we’ll ask ourselves whether we did everything possible to field the best Cardinals team we can.”

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