Insider Slams Door Shut on Reported Cardinals QB Trade

All eyes are on the Arizona Cardinals' quarterback position moving into 2026 — especially with the pending release of Kyler Murray.

Arizona, as of March 11, will have just Jacoby Brissett and Kedon Slovis as passers on their roster. Brissett took over for Murray after Week 5 and retained starting duties through the rest of the season.

Part of the chatter that escaped the NFL combine last week surrounded Brissett and some potential trade buzz on the veteran passer, though one Cardinals insider is shutting that down.

Report: Cardinals Won't Trade Jacoby Brissett

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals Q — Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) rolls out against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

According to Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro, the Cardinals won't be shipping out Brissett.

"While the Cardinals will explore all options to add a QB they are unlikely to trade Jacoby Brissett," he posted on X.

While the Cardinals will explore all options to add a QB they are unlikely to trade Jacoby Brissett. https://t.co/MwCXTLdN4G
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) March 4, 2026

Brissett is under contract through one more season and is set have a cap hit of $9.1 million for 2026.

Arizona, after Murray's release, has roughly $28 million in cap space approaching free agency with names such as Malik Willis and Jimmy Garoppolo recently being tied to the organization through the open market.

Ty Simpson is also an avenue they can take ahead of April's draft.

Brissett is set to serve as Arizona's bridge quarterback while the organization is in search of their next franchise passer. When exactly that next presence emerges remains to be seen, though the Cardinals undoubtedly have some sort of gap to fill in their quarterback room.

"All options are on the table for us. We've got Kyler, Jacoby (Brissett), Kedon (Slovis) all under contract. As it pertains to that position, as it pertains to every position on our team, we will look at every avenue to improve. We will continue our process with that," said Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort at the combine.

Ossenfort, who is entering a fourth season leading the charge in the desert, could potentially reveal the cards (no pun intended) on his expected job security, as an aggressive/expensive pursuit for a quarterback like Willis on the open market could signal pressure to win in 2026 while a lower level move would lead some to believe he has a longer leash from owner Michael Bidwill.

As for Brissett, he's set to at minimum compete for the Cardinals' starting quarterback job in 2026. Arizona led the league in passing attempts under his guidance last year while 2025 was also a career year for Brissett in passing yards (3,366) and touchdowns (23).