Recent rankings from Pro Football Focus placed Brissett among the league’s lower-tier starting quarterbacks heading into the new season. The assessment noted his age and role as a bridge option, suggesting that while he can deliver respectable quarterback play, he may not be in a position to consistently steer a team to success enough to secure favorable long-term outcomes for the franchise. Brissett sits just ahead of Malik Willis in these evaluations, with Willis entering the conversation as a potential option for Arizona in free agency discussions.
For context, Kyler Murray, who had started for seven seasons before being released by Arizona in March, begins a new chapter with Minnesota. PFF’s top quarterback entering the season is Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, followed by Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Season highlights and limitations
Brissett did not participate in the Cardinals’ offseason program as he pressed for a revised contract given his status as the presumed starter. While his counting stats from the previous year included averages of about 240 passing yards per game and 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions, advanced metrics tell a more nuanced story. Brissett recorded a Total QBR of 41.2, placing him among the lower end of qualified quarterbacks. His yards per attempt stood around 7.1, a respectable figure but not transformative, and Arizona finished 1-11 in his 12 starts after he stepped in for Murray.
In several games, Brissett managed to keep things close, but there were also contests where late garbage-time production obscured a less consistent overall performance.
Future at quarterback
Arizona’s front office opted to transition the starting role to Brissett, a decision that has drawn mixed reactions within the organization and among observers. The Cardinals are projected to be among the league’s weaker teams in the near term, which naturally fuels speculation about future quarterback moves.
The team selected Carson Beck in the draft, acquiring him with the first pick of the third round. Beck’s prospects could factor into the quarterback timeline if the team stalls early in the season or encounters ongoing development challenges from Brissett. While Beck may not carry the same pedigree as some other quarterback prospects, his potential could lead to an opportunity to start if the team’s performance warrants a change.
Takeaway
Brissett’s status as a mid-career quarterback with a reputation as a stopgap option continues to shape how contract negotiations unfold. The combination of mixed on-field results and ongoing organizational uncertainty means Brissett is unlikely to display the upside associated with long-term franchise quarterbacks. As the season unfolds, the Cardinals’ decision-makers will weigh performance, development potential, and the team’s overall trajectory when determining whether Brissett remains a long-term answer or yields the starting role to a younger signal-caller with greater upside.
