Brissett outdoes Herbert in easy Week 1 win

Brissett added four carries for 18 yards. Entering the proceedings with just one pick through three starts, Brissett tossed two in the first half before “adding” a walk-off pick-six on the game’s final play. Trailing 30-24, the Cardinals had a 4th-and-goal from the Giants’ four-yard line. Then a pressured Brissett threw it right to Deonte Banks after Michael Wilson cut off his route in the end zone. It was a brutal end to a brutal game, one where Brissett took a pair of sacks in addition to his giveaways. He did find the beleaguered Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 12-yard score against man-to-man coverage on the game’s opening drive, but that opening drive score went down as MHJ’s only reception. The duo did draw a late DPI to set up their ill-faded goal-line series. Averaging a miserable 4.7 yards per attempt on 115 throws over his past three starts, Brissett could get the Carson Beck chatter going in the desert sooner rather than later. That being said, the Lions are a plus Week 5 matchup.

Brissett and the Cardinals offense had difficulty navigating penalties and finishing drives in the first half, playing catch-up for much of the second half. The offense wore down the 49ers’ banged-up defensive line over time, with Brissett tossing a pair of touchdowns and sneaking in another from the one-yard line to bring the Cardinals close in the fourth quarter. Though he couldn’t complete the comeback, Brissett’s fantasy production with 52 passing attempts is a good sign for Cardinals pass-catchers moving forward. However, they won’t be in as much of a pass-happy game script against the Giants in Week 4; Brissett is a fantasy QB2 for next week.

Brissett practiced fully all week, despite the hip injury. Brissett is not quite hitting the peaks he produced last year and is too tough to trust in 12-team leagues. Consider him a QB2 against the 49ers this week.

Brissett seemingly dealt with an injury in the Cardinals’ Week 2 loss against the Seahawks, but played through it. He opens the week listed with a hip injury but was a full practice participant. Though Brissett seems to have a hip issue ailing him, it does not seem like it will keep him from playing. The veteran remains in the low-end QB2 conversation for Week 3 against the 49ers.

Brissett was seemingly dealing with some sort of thigh issue against the Seahawks. Between the Cardinals’ eighth and ninth drives, Brissett was seen briefly meeting with the training staff, who applied a heating pad to one of his legs. He tried walking after a while, but shook his head and took a seat on the bench until it was time for the Cardinals’ offense to retake the field. The veteran quarterback was constantly under pressure, though he only took two sacks. Brissett threw an interception via a bad overthrow on the Cardinals’ seventh drive, and later had a would-be interception dropped on the Cardinals’ eighth drive. The leg issue seemingly impacted his ability to drive the ball downfield, which could keep him as a mid-to-low QB2 against the 49ers in Week 3.

Fowler notes that the Cardinals likely want to see what they have in Carson Beck before the season ends. Of course, if the Cardinals are winning games, they will stick with what is working. Brissett put up strong counting stats last year, throwing for 281 yards per game across his 12 starts. That, however, did not result in any success for the Cardinals, who went 1-11 with Brissett under center. A similar season would make the veteran a viable backup or injury fill-in at that trade deadline.

This is unfortunate. Beck looked great before injuring his ribs in the Hall of Fame game. Per Urban, Beck has been a very limited participant in practice ever since, which is costing him valuable reps. Only starting QB Jacoby Brissett will take first-team practice reps once the regular season begins. Beck practiced the week after the injury, “struggling much of the time,” and has sat out since then. The Cardinals have an extremely difficult schedule, so a rough record could bring Beck back onto the field at some point this year. Ideally, he would have spent all of August refining his play, though. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team re-draft leagues.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Beck suffered a rib injury in the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame game against the Panthers. Despite feeling “soreness,” he managed to practice this week. The Cardinals “decided to keep him out tonight as a precaution and to allow more time to heal.” This pours a little cold water on Beck’s moderate hype, but the reporting suggests that the injury is not overly concerning. Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett will start, and presumably be relieved by QB Kedon Slovis at some point. No word yet on QB Gardner Minshew’s potential involvement tonight.

Brissett was scheduled to make up to $4.88 this year, in the final year of his old deal. His new contract increases his compensation for this season, but he is still scheduled to hit free agency next offseason. The new deal includes a $15.5 million base salary. He can make up to $21 million via incentives. Things can always change in-season, but this appears to be clear-cut starter money — and it’s good news for Cardinals pass catchers. Although the Cardinals struggled to win games with Brissett under center last year, he was a very productive passer. Theoretically, he should be able to support TE Trey McBride and likely one of WR Marvin Harrison Jr. or WR Michael Wilson reliably. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur confirmed that the plan is for Brissett to start in Week 1 against the Chargers.

Brissett reported to training camp and was practicing with the team on Thursday. Brissett is entering this season as the Cardinals’ QB1 but is currently set to play out the season on the final year of a two-year, $12.5 million contract he signed last season when he was backing up Kyler Murray. Brissett is reportedly seeking a pay raise for this season rather than an extension, and it sounds like a deal will eventually be reached by the two sides before the start of the season. Brissett was fourth in Thursday’s practice rotation, but that will change as he continues to get up to speed with the team after missing OTAs and minicamp.