Jacoby Brissett wants more money from the Arizona Cardinals, but a recent Pro Football Focus ranking shows why he might not deserve it.
The veteran journeyman has been rated as the second-worst starting quarterback in the NFL heading into the season, ahead of only oft-injured Cleveland signal-caller Deshaun Watson.
PFF explained its rationale for placing Brissett among the worst starting quarterbacks in the league.
“At 33 years old, Brissett is the definition of a bridge quarterback,” the article stated. “He can provide solid play at the position, but he won’t win enough games to prevent his team from landing a top draft pick.”
Brissett comes in one place ahead of new Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis, who many speculated could end up with the Cardinals in free agency.
Kyler Murray, who was released by Arizona in March after seven seasons as the starting quarterback, came in at No. 21 as he begins his fresh start in Minnesota.
The top starting quarterback according to PFF is Buffalo’s Josh Allen, followed by Joe Burrow of the Bengals.
Counting Stats Muddled True Picture Of Brissett in 2025
Brissett did not participate in the Cardinals’ offseason program as he angles for a reworked contract now that he is the starter. But it could be a tough sell.
While Brissett put up impressive counting stats last season, averaging 240.4 passing yards with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions, the advanced numbers painted a different picture.
Brissett finished with a Total QBR of 41.2, which was fifth-worst among qualified quarterbacks. His yards per attempt of 7.1 was middle of the pack leaguewide, and there was the little matter of the team’s record, as Arizona finished just 1-11 in his 12 starts after taking over for Murray.
Brissett did keep the Cardinals competitive in some contests, but there were others in which he compiled garbage-time numbers when the contest was already out of reach.
How Long Will Brissett Keep Starting Job?
The Arizona front office made the decision to turn the starting quarterback role over to Brissett this offseason, cutting Murray in March.
There is not much outside enthusiasm about the move, as the Cardinals are projected to be among the worst teams in the NFL in 2026.
Brissett has long been a bridge quarterback who has been sent to the bench in favor of a rookie with more potential. It could happen again this season after the Cardinals took Carson Beck with the first pick of the third round of the draft.
Beck doesn’t have the same pedigree as Drake Maye, who replaced Brissett in New England, but if Arizona gets off to a slow start, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Cardinals to give Beck a shot at starting.
Even though Brissett had a couple solid games last season, PFF’s ranking is a reminder that he is a fringe starting quarterback in the NFL without the upside the Cardinals had before when Murray was at the helm.
Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett Ranked Second-Worst NFL Starting Quarterback