Giants QB Search Puts Cardinals in Spotlight as Trade Rumors Begin

The Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback could be on the move.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during a game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Sept. 20, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Arizona Cardinals are potentially making a change at quarterback at some point in 2026.

Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck fill out the Cardinals' three quarterback spots as the regular season moves forward. Brissett received a pay raise this offseason to be the team's starter — for now.

With Jaxson Dart's season-ending injury with the New York Giants, another potential suitor in the quarterback market is set to emerge, and Arizona's got plenty of talent for teams to pluck from.

Ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, ESPN's Dan Graziano explained why Brissett is a possible trade candidate for the Giants — or potentially other teams:

What ESPN Said

Graziano: "The problem with Winston -- or any backup, really -- is that while he can probably get you through two or three games, his deficiencies are likely to show up the longer he plays. The Giants will need to bring in someone else, even if it's just for depth. Jake Haener is on their practice squad, so he's obviously a candidate to be elevated. But there's no magic solution here.

"Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent. Maybe they could talk the Steelers out of Mason Rudolph for a draft pick. At some point this season, maybe guys such as Jacoby Brissett (Arizona) or Kirk Cousins (Las Vegas) get replaced by younger QBs and become available in trade. But it's way too early for that now, and it looks like the Giants will have to go with Winston and work to help him play better than he did in relief Monday night."

What The Reality Is

At some point, if the Cardinals are indeed as bad as projected, Arizona is expected to make a quarterback change. The organization spent a third-round pick on Carson Beck this past offseason and will need to obtain as much information on the rookie passer before deciding on their direction at quarterback this coming offseason.

Beck impressed in preseason play but only participated in one game due to a rib injury. Now, he's buried behind Brissett and Gardner Minshew as the team's third quarterback.

Minshew, a veteran scheduled to be a free agent after this season like Brissett, is projected to also be a potential trade candidate near the NFL's trade deadline.

There's a strong possibility the Cardinals will depart from either Brissett or Minshew at some point this season, unless they string together some impressive wins and pin themselves in postseason contention.

This will be an incredibly interesting situation to monitor.