The NFL Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching, and it looks like it would make some sense for the Arizona Cardinals to be sellers. If they do end up being active, just how many players would Arizona be willing to move?
According to Jared Dubin of CBS Sports, one player to move is starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett. He’s had his chance, and now the Cardinals need to think about the future at the position.
“Jacoby Brissett is clearly not the long-term answer under center for the Cardinals, and they might turn to Carson Beck sooner rather than later so they can see what they have in the third-round pick before making a decision on whether to select a quarterback in next year’s draft,” Dubin wrote. “That makes Brissett expendable, and some team looking for a quality backup or fill-in for an injured starter could be interested in his services.”
This season, Brissett is completing 64.9% of his passes for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. That’s with a QBR of 53.6.
The question is who would want Brissett in the middle of the season? Only competitive teams would move assets for a player at this point, but only a few competitive teams have a real need at quarterback, typically due to injury.
The Arizona Cardinals Need to Figure Out the QB Position
One thing is clear, and that’s that Jacoby Brissett is not the long-term answer at quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Without needing to see him play this season, it’s also safe to say, based on his entire career, that backup Gardner Minshew isn’t the future either.
That would mean that it’s time to at least kick the tires on Carson Beck. A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Beck is 24 years old and spent most of his college career with Georgia before transferring to Miami in 2025. While in school, Beck played in 55 games and completed 69.5% of his passes for 11,725 yards and 88 touchdowns.
During the preseason, Beck flashed talent in the Hall of Fame Game. That was largely against backups, but still got Cardinals fans excited about what he could bring.
However, Beck recently has had a back issue flair up. The spasm forced him to recently miss practice time.
Still, the Cardinals do need to know what they have in Beck. That way, they can go into the 2027 NFL Draft with a plan. Halfway through the college season, that quarterback class suddenly doesn’t look so deep, but Arizona is still likely to be right at the top of the draft.
Other Trade Candidates for the Cardinals
The Cardinals do have other options to trade beyond Brissett. Most of those candidates, however, are on the defensive side of the ball.
First, there is edge rusher Josh Sweat. In the second year of his four-year deal, there have been plenty of trade rumors going back to the offseason. Now, he’s having a down season, and the Cardinals may have to sell a little bit low on him if they want to get some return in time for this next rebuilding wave.
Then, veteran safety Budda Baker also seems to be consistently coming up in trade ideas. Regardless, he’s just about the biggest piece the Cardinals could realistically move.
“Budda Baker has base salaries of $14.4 million and $16.1 million this year and next, but he’s a valuable enough player to make those price tags worth it,” Dubin wrote. “He’s extremely versatile and can play both the run and the pass, whether lined up deep or in the box. He’s 30 years old and still likely has several quality seasons left under his belt. The Cardinals aren’t going to contend for the postseason, and Baker is their best asset for future value.”
The Cardinals still have a little less than two weeks to get a deal done before the NFL Trade Deadline. So, it’s worth keeping an eye on what they’re thinking.
Cardinals Urged to Move QB Jacoby Brissett at Trade Deadline, Change Starter