3 Biggest Losers From Cardinals OTAs: Week 1

The Arizona Cardinals' first group of offseason team activities is officially behind us after the team had two practice periods at their training facility in Tempe this past week, allowing rookies and veterans to come together for the first time in 2026.

We previously covered winners of the first week of OTAs (which you can peep here), but who are some losers?

It won't be tough to guess who the top one is.

Losers

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) looks to throw downfield against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Jacoby Brissett

Arizona's expected starting quarterback isn't currently at OTAs in what's turned into a holdout over a new contract. The two sides, per reports, are significantly apart.

Brissett wanting a payraise isn't the issue, it's more so the circus that has surrounded the Cardinals as a result.

To call Brissett a loser on the field would even be a stretch, as he's a veteran with plenty of experience and isn't getting egregiously far behind — even if first-time head coach Mike LaFleur is installing his brand new scheme in Arizona for the first time.

Where this turns against Brissett is off the field and with the Cardinals fan base, who just watched their team win three games last season and now have their veteran bridge quarterback not showing up to offseason activities.

This whole situation has brought a ton of unwanted attention and negative energy towards the Cardinals and Brissett himself, even if in a vacuum, wanting more money is understandable.

Max Melton

Melton gathered plenty of praise at the end of his rookie season, as the second-round pick flashed plenty of talent for what could be ahead in Arizona.

Yet 2025 was anything but optimal for Melton, who was benched towards the second half of the season. With a top heavy CB depth chart already ahead of Melton and previously injured corners in Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas returning to the field, Melton's optics of playing time weren't looking great entering this season.

That was fully revealed when Melton was spotted as one of the team's first players in returning kicks during the open portion of practice, which isn't exactly a green light for Melton to return in the good graces of defensive coordinator Nick Rallis.

Trey Benson

Benson quickly found himself behind the eight ball this offseason.

The Cardinals' running back suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2025 after an up-and-down start to his NFL career. It's fair to say he hasn't lived up to his status as a Day 2 pick, and while it's still early, time is running out for Benson to flip the narrative.

That clock was sped up when James Conner had his contract restructured to remain with Arizona this offseason before the Cardinals sank serious resources in free agency (Tyler Allgeier) and the draft (Jeremiyah Love) towards the running back position.

Benson very much is fighting for his spot on the roster, and while Conner (who also suffered a season-ending injury) was rehabbing on the sideline during the open portion of practice, Benson wasn't spotted.

That's not the exclusive reason Benson is deemed a "loser" here, though Benson needs everything possible to go his way, and as OTAs start, he still is very behind the other running backs on the depth chart with little sign of his return coming soon.

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