There were two surprising developments related to the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback situation following Sunday’s dramatic, come-from-behind win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Before Sunday’s game, Jacoby Brissett was the starter, fellow veteran Gardner Minshew was the backup, and rookie Carson Beck was Arizona’s emergency, third-string quarterback. There is a completely new order today.
On Monday, head coach Mike LaFleur announced Minshew as the team’s new starter. Beck will move to No. 2 spot as Brissett is now the third-string quarterback.
The decision to move to the starting quarterback was surprising enough; LaFleur’s announcement that Brissett, the team’s starting quarterback for most of the last two seasons, was being demoted to the third emergency spot was truly jaw-dropping.
Statistically, Brissett hasn’t been bad through the first seven games of the season. But he struggled against the Cowboys before being replaced by Minshew, who caught fire with three touchdown passes while completing 73.9% of his attempts. Minshew’s heroics helped turn a 27-17 deficit with 3:54 remaining into a 33-30 overtime win. The win improved the Cardinals’ record to 3-5.
Minshew, 30, has had a roller coaster career in the NFL. A 2019 sixth-round pick, Minshew began his career in Jacksonville before making stops in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and Kansas City before heading to Arizona this season. His best season came back in 2023, when he earned his first Pro Bowl nod after going 7-6 as the Colts’ starting quarterback.
Beck, a 2026 third-round pick, showed potential this past preseason, going 15-of-19 for 188 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. His college career included a fruitful 2025 season at Miami that culminated in an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Minshew will make his debut as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback next Sunday in Seattle against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.
What’s next for Brissett?
LaFleur was noncommittal when asked about Brissett’s future with the team after this week. That’s usually one of the first indicators (another is a demotion) that a player is likely to be dealt.
The Ravens were the first team that came to mind when news of Brissett’s benching broke. Baltimore desperately needs help at quarterback after losing Lamar Jackson to a possible season-ending injury. Backup Tyler Huntley is also expected to miss hours after injuring his toe in Sunday’s loss to the Bills, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano as the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
If the Ravens are going to salvage their season, they need to solidify their quarterback position as much as they can. Brissett will help them do that. He could serve as Baltimore’s new starting quarterback or be a viable backup for Huntley whenever he gets to play.
On paper, a trade between Baltimore and Arizona for Brissett seemed easy. The Ravens need a quarterback, and the Cardinals have one they’re not using. It could be as easy as if the two teams could agree on trade terms before the league’s Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Should Ravens trade QB after injuries to Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley? Possible candidates to watch
Zachary Pereles
The Cardinals have to be realistic here, though. The Ravens need a quarterback, but they won’t give up too much for a quarterback who just lost his starting job. Baltimore is probably also realistic in terms of its situation. Without Jackson, and playing in a division where every team has a winning record, the odds of the Ravens doing much this season are slim with or without Brissett, who — if anything — could help the Ravens stay competitive.
It would be surprising if the Ravens and Cardinals didn’t even discuss a trade involving Brissett. From the outside, a sixth-round pick, or a fifth-round pick in exchange for Brissett and a seventh-round pick looks fair. Either way, the Cardinals shouldn’t expect to get much in return for Brissett, whose time in Arizona was a disappointment.