3 Honest Thoughts on Brendan Sorsby, Cardinals Potential Pairing

The talk of the desert lately has been a quarterback who may not even play for the Arizona Cardinals.

Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby filed paperwork to enter the NFL's supplemental draft, and out of nowhere a new option has emerged for a Cardinals team that has failed to replace former franchise quarterback Kyler Murray.

There's been so much chatter on Sorsby, who fought against the NCAA's ineligibility ruling after a lengthy investigation discovered he was gambling on games.

There's plenty to unpack on both sides of the argument for/against Sorsby. While we won't quite do that here, we do have three honest thoughts:

Is there a bit of revisionist history with Sorsby's draft stock?

Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech Q — Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby goes through warmups before the spring football game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Plenty of the chatter around Sorsby is his draft stock and what would have been had he declared this offseason rather than going back to school.

Multiple NFL executives have said Sorsby is a late first-round talent, though if that was the case, why wouldn't Sorsby have declared for the draft?

People often utilize two answers in the NIL money (he was on a $5 million NIL deal with Texas Tech) and potential desire to improve his draft stock.

For reference, people were also saying the same for Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, who likely would have been QB2 in this class after Fernando Mendoza before he went back to school.

It's tough to deny an NFL paycheck, which is at minimum a four-year and fully guaranteed deal if you're a first-round pick. That also gets you one season closer to your first actual NFL deal, which is lightyears above what you can find in college if you're able to prove yourself.

Improving draft stock ahead of a massively anticipated 2027 quarterback class that's expected to be full to the brim of talent doesn't sound like a winning recipe, either.

Would Sorsby actually have been a first-round pick in this class? It's tough to tell, though that seems to be a narrative everybody is accepting with little pushback.

Cardinals might be better off just evaluating Carson Beck

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Bec — Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck (19) throws passes during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe on May 27, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cardinals spent a third-round pick on Beck this offseason, which isn't immediate starter territory — though it's also not a cheap pick, either.

The general consensus with Beck's arrival was the potential to see what Arizona had in the Miami product before making a massive decision ahead of that oh-so-coveted 2027 quarterback class.

If the Cardinals liked Beck? Perfect, they've got a guy they can rock with entering the next couple of years. If they didn't think Beck was the man, the third-round lotto ticket was a wash and they weren't prevented on exploring more options after this season.

The potential cost of Sorsby is expected to be around a second or third-round pick in the supplemental draft, something the Cardinals would lose in the 2027 draft if they win the bidding for his talents.

Arizona might be better off just evaluating one rookie quarterback before marching into a potentially franchise-altering offseason.

However...

Sometimes, you need to roll the dice

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort speaks during a press conference at the Arizona Cardinals facility in Tempe after the first round of the NFL Draft on April 23, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In case you haven't pieced things together by now, I don't believe the Cardinals should pursue Sorsby. However, there is something to be said about where Arizona is at organizationally.

Scared money don't make money, and for Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort, time is running out to piece together a playoff team as Year 4 rolls around. Playing things safe typically doesn't see greatness evolve, and that's true for a Cardinals team that hasn't won a postseason game since 2015.

There is no price on securing a franchise quarterback. If you spend a third, second or even first-round pick on Sorsby and he pans out, the price you paid doesn't matter if the Cardinals secure a legitimate presence at football's most important position.

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