Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to a reworked one-year deal Sunday and first-year coach Mike LaFleur confirmed that the veteran is the team’s likely starter for Week 1.
Brissett, 33, was unhappy with his previous contract, which included just $1.5 million of guaranteed money for the upcoming season. His new deal is worth a reported $15.5 million.
“It hasn’t been a distraction by any means — I think we’ve got some very mature and professional players,” LaFleur said. “But it’s just one more thing that we don’t have to talk about.”
Brissett was the team’s starter for the final 12 games last year after Kyler Murray suffered a season-ending foot injury. He did well individually with 3,366 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but the Cardinals had a 1-11 record in those games.
LaFleur confirmed that Brissett’s deal was done before Sunday’s practice and said that the veteran would begin working with the starters soon. The team’s other main options at quarterback are veteran Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck.
Brissett is a popular presence in the Cardinals’ locker room and some players — most notably eight-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker — were publicly supportive of a new deal for the quarterback.
LaFleur said he wasn’t worried about Brissett’s lost practice time.
“He’s got a level head about himself,” LaFleur said. “He’s been in a lot of different systems and heard a lot of different things and seen a lot of different things. He’s had the ups and downs with teams. He’s in a good spot and I’m excited to really start working with him.”
The Cardinals open the preseason Aug. 6 against the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
Reporting by the Associated Press.