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When the Arizona Cardinals took the field for the first day of voluntary organized team activities on Monday, May 18, all eyes were on the quarterbacks.
Three of those players took the field: Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck and Kedon Slovis. Far more notable was the player who did not: Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals’ presumptive starter.
Brissett is now in the second month of a holdout, as he seeks a raise that would pay him as a starting quarterback. He is currently set to count for just $9.2 million against the cap this season. That number ranks 25th among all quarterbacks.
As for the latest on Brissett’s contract negotiations, head coach Mike LaFleur said the Cardinals are in the “same (position) as where we were a few weeks ago.”
LaFleur downplayed the significance of Brissett’s holdout, pointing to his veteran status.
“He's played a lot of football,” LaFleur said. “He's done probably everything that we've ever done schematically, it's just a little bit different verbiage.”
But as a new head coach, this spring practice period is crucial for the installation of LaFleur’s offense. With each day that he misses, Brissett falls further behind his teammates, even though these sessions are voluntary.
When asked whether the Cardinals have had contact with Brissett to begin installing the offense remotely, LaFleur provided a curt — and perhaps telling — answer.
“We've had contact,” LaFleur said. “I'll keep it at that.”
Reader questions answered: Cardinals mailbag has offseason grade, questions on defense, Carson Beck
Brissett wasn’t the only notable absence from the first day of OTAs. Brissett was among 10 players not present during the open portion of practice:
Some of those absences were more notable than others. Sweat, for example, does not typically participate in voluntary OTAs. Williams, just five months off a torn Achilles, was always seemingly a long shot to be ready for the start of the season, much less for May practices. Nolen confirmed two days earlier that he would miss OTAs, but that he expects to be ready for training camp.
All of those absences were expected.
Others were more intriguing — but the news wasn’t all bad. LaFleur said that the Cardinals expect Reiman to be “healthy, ready to roll when we get going in training camp.” Reiman suffered a season-ending ankle injury last October and stood on the side of the field in street clothes and bare feet during practice.
When asked about Benson’s timeline, LaFleur was less clear.
“Kind of that same type of thing,” LaFleur said.
Benson suffered a knee injury in September that ultimately kept him out all season, although he did briefly return to practice before the Cardinals shut him down again in December. Regardless of his health, he appears buried on the depth chart after the Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier and drafted Jeremiyah Love.
But while Reiman and Benson remain sidelined, some other key players made their returns. Running back James Conner (who suffered an ankle injury last September) and cornerback Starling Thomas V (who tore his ACL last July) both worked on the side of the field with trainers, suggesting that they are progressing well.
And cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (who tore his ACL last spring) was a full participant in drills.
Murphy-Bunting was occupying a new role on defense. During individual drills, he worked with the safeties and slot corners, rather than in his typical role as an outside cornerback.
“SMB's playing a little more nickel now, we've got a great room,” cornerback Will Johnson said.
The shift makes sense. With Williams likely set to miss some time as he recovers from his torn Achilles, the Cardinals need help at nickel.
Their outside cornerback room, meanwhile, is packed with competition. Thomas, Max Melton and Denzel Burke all have an opportunity to vie for an open starting spot opposite Johnson, who is likely entrenched in his job.
The other mild surprise on Day 1 came at inside linebacker, where 2025 fourth-round pick Cody Simon worked ahead of free agent signing Jack Gibbens during individual work. He currently appears to have the inside track on the second linebacker spot, alongside Mack Wilson Sr.
“I saw stuff from Cody Simon in our last game where maybe he didn't have the play that he was capable of making, and improving the next time he was out there,” LaFleur said. “There's tangible evidence of him, within a game, correcting himself. … And seeing the improvement from one play to maybe 10 plays later. And it's like, ‘Ooh, he got it right there.’”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jacoby Brissett among absences as Arizona Cardinals begin OTAs
Continue reading...
Three of those players took the field: Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck and Kedon Slovis. Far more notable was the player who did not: Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals’ presumptive starter.
Brissett is now in the second month of a holdout, as he seeks a raise that would pay him as a starting quarterback. He is currently set to count for just $9.2 million against the cap this season. That number ranks 25th among all quarterbacks.
As for the latest on Brissett’s contract negotiations, head coach Mike LaFleur said the Cardinals are in the “same (position) as where we were a few weeks ago.”
LaFleur downplayed the significance of Brissett’s holdout, pointing to his veteran status.
“He's played a lot of football,” LaFleur said. “He's done probably everything that we've ever done schematically, it's just a little bit different verbiage.”
But as a new head coach, this spring practice period is crucial for the installation of LaFleur’s offense. With each day that he misses, Brissett falls further behind his teammates, even though these sessions are voluntary.
When asked whether the Cardinals have had contact with Brissett to begin installing the offense remotely, LaFleur provided a curt — and perhaps telling — answer.
“We've had contact,” LaFleur said. “I'll keep it at that.”
Reader questions answered: Cardinals mailbag has offseason grade, questions on defense, Carson Beck
Cardinals get positive injury updates despite absences
Brissett wasn’t the only notable absence from the first day of OTAs. Brissett was among 10 players not present during the open portion of practice:
- Quarterback Jacoby Brissett
- Running back Trey Benson
- Offensive tackle Christian Jones
- Tight end Tip Reiman
- Edge rusher Baron Browning
- Edge rusher Josh Sweat
- Cornerback Garrett Williams
- Linebacker Karson Sharar
- Defensive lineman L.J. Collier
- Defensive lineman Walter Nolen
Some of those absences were more notable than others. Sweat, for example, does not typically participate in voluntary OTAs. Williams, just five months off a torn Achilles, was always seemingly a long shot to be ready for the start of the season, much less for May practices. Nolen confirmed two days earlier that he would miss OTAs, but that he expects to be ready for training camp.
All of those absences were expected.
Others were more intriguing — but the news wasn’t all bad. LaFleur said that the Cardinals expect Reiman to be “healthy, ready to roll when we get going in training camp.” Reiman suffered a season-ending ankle injury last October and stood on the side of the field in street clothes and bare feet during practice.
When asked about Benson’s timeline, LaFleur was less clear.
“Kind of that same type of thing,” LaFleur said.
Benson suffered a knee injury in September that ultimately kept him out all season, although he did briefly return to practice before the Cardinals shut him down again in December. Regardless of his health, he appears buried on the depth chart after the Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier and drafted Jeremiyah Love.
But while Reiman and Benson remain sidelined, some other key players made their returns. Running back James Conner (who suffered an ankle injury last September) and cornerback Starling Thomas V (who tore his ACL last July) both worked on the side of the field with trainers, suggesting that they are progressing well.
And cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (who tore his ACL last spring) was a full participant in drills.
Roles shifting on defense
Murphy-Bunting was occupying a new role on defense. During individual drills, he worked with the safeties and slot corners, rather than in his typical role as an outside cornerback.
“SMB's playing a little more nickel now, we've got a great room,” cornerback Will Johnson said.
The shift makes sense. With Williams likely set to miss some time as he recovers from his torn Achilles, the Cardinals need help at nickel.
Their outside cornerback room, meanwhile, is packed with competition. Thomas, Max Melton and Denzel Burke all have an opportunity to vie for an open starting spot opposite Johnson, who is likely entrenched in his job.
The other mild surprise on Day 1 came at inside linebacker, where 2025 fourth-round pick Cody Simon worked ahead of free agent signing Jack Gibbens during individual work. He currently appears to have the inside track on the second linebacker spot, alongside Mack Wilson Sr.
“I saw stuff from Cody Simon in our last game where maybe he didn't have the play that he was capable of making, and improving the next time he was out there,” LaFleur said. “There's tangible evidence of him, within a game, correcting himself. … And seeing the improvement from one play to maybe 10 plays later. And it's like, ‘Ooh, he got it right there.’”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jacoby Brissett among absences as Arizona Cardinals begin OTAs
Continue reading...
