Cardinals Clips
Josh Sweat was the subject of trade chatter in the offseason, as the Cardinals received calls about the outside linebacker. He missed all of the voluntary offseason program, choosing to work out on his own as he has done in the past.
It was unclear whether that was related to the firing of Jonathan Gannon, who Sweat followed from Philadelphia after two seasons together with the Eagles.
Additional questions were raised when the Cardinals placed Sweat on the active/physically unable to perform list to start training camp this week.
Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said Friday that the move was related to Sweat’s ramp-up for training camp and not any unhappiness from the one-time Pro Bowler.
“I’m going to say no,” LaFleur said, via Darren Urban of the team website, “because I don’t see any discontent, and he’s never expressed any discontent to me.”
LaFleur clarified that while Sweat missed the voluntary work, he was around the Dignity Health Training Center and in contact with the team.
“Everyone is on the same page the entire time,” LaFleur said. “You guys can believe me or not, but I am not worried about Josh Sweat at all in terms of his health. He’s logged a lot of miles in this league, and I think not only for Josh to peak on Sept. 13 [for the opener], but for Josh to also get through the rigors of a 17-game season the way that he plays and the motor he plays with, this is best for him and the Cardinals.”
Sweat led the team with a career-high 12 sacks last season.
Yes, Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is practicing as he tries to get a contract that pays him like a starter, not a backup. But he’s not really practicing.
As noted by Darren Urban of the team’s official website, Brissett “isn’t participating in 11-on-11 drills yet.”
That’s surely a direct result of his dissatisfaction with a deal he signed under the impression that he wouldn’t be the team’s QB1. Now that he’s the presumptive Week 1 starter, he’s seeking an adjustment.
The current range for veteran starters begins in the low $20 millions and stretches into the $60 millions. With Brissett currently at $6.5 million per year, triple that to $19.5 million and call it a day.
He’d be the lowest-paid veteran starter, while still making much more than he’s due to make.
And it would help get him as ready as he can be with a new coaching staff and a new offense. Which is even more critical, given that the Cardinals are in a division with three Super Bowl contenders.
Who would have thought that the Cardinals would long for the days that they were the which-doesn’t-belong-and-why fifth team in the NFC East?
Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love is the youngest player on the Cardinals, but head coach Mike LaFleur says he carries himself like a veteran.
And LaFleur says that includes the 21-year-old Love knowing his place well enough to know he has plenty he can learn from his more experienced teammates.
“Jeremiyah, what a mature young man,” LeFleur said. “He’s been awesome with the locker room. He is himself, but he also has some awareness that he’s a rookie, in terms of, ‘I’m gonna be a rookie in there and I’m gonna lean on these guys that have done it in the league.’”
Love grew up with a police officer for a mother and an Army veteran and football coach for a father, and LaFleur says it’s clear to anyone who interacts with Love that he was raised to hold himself to high standards.
“When I got a chance to meet his parents, and even before I met the parents, just seeing it Saturdays watching College GameDay and the tidbits they had, you kind of knew right there, what a foundation this guy — how lucky to have the situation he had growing up. Great for him to be able to absorb that, soak that in and then be his own man,” LaFleur said.
The Cardinals took Love with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft not only because of his talent on the field, but also because of the way he carries himself off the field. We’re still a couple months away from our first look at how well his on-field talent translates from college to the NFL, but LaFleur is seeing exactly what he hoped for off the field.
Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams, who faces four weapons charges after his recent arrest in Canada, took part in the team’s first training camp practice.
Coach Mike LaFleur would not comment on Adams’ legal trouble.
“I’m not going to comment too much on that,” LaFleur said, via video from Bo Brack of PHNX_Cardinals. “Obviously, I’d appreciate you guys not really asking the questions with that. But he’s doing good, and it was good to see him.”
Adams was charged with possession of a firearm obtained in a crime, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm, no license while in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device.
His attorney, Adam Weisberg, said in a statement last week that Adams is “completely innocent in this matter.”
Police concluded an investigation on Friday into a male believed to have a firearm and involved in drug trafficking. Three other people were arrested, including two who were charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Adams, who was born in Ajax, Ontario, was a third-round pick of the Cardinals out of Illinois in 2024. He started 11 games last season after starting five as a rookie.
The Cardinals placed left tackle Paris Johnson and linebacker Josh Sweat on the physically unable to perform list on Thursday, but head coach Mike LaFleur didn’t make it sound like either player is going to miss much time during training camp.
LaFleur told reporters that both players are dealing with knee issues and that the Cardinals will “be smart” with them at this point in the calendar. The Cardinals will practice the next four days before taking Monday off and neither player will practice before that rest day, but LaFleur suggested they won’t be out much longer.
“The Paris thing, that is honestly nothing,” LaFleur said, via the team’s website. “It’s really just maintenance. He’ll be back before you know it. Same thing with Josh. Seeing him, he’s fired up to be here. He’s in great spirits and feeling good.”
The Cardinals also placed cornerback Garrett Williams (Achilles) and tight end Tip Reiman (ankle) on the PUP list to open camp.
Jacoby Brissett is at Cardinals training camp and the quarterback is not staging a hold-in for the team’s first practice.
Head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters that Brissett will participate in the team’s first workout of the summer on Thursday. Brissett skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program and did not participate after reporting to the team’s mandatory minicamp last month.
Brissett is looking for a revised contract that better reflects his position as the team’s likely starter at quarterback to kick off the season. There has been no agreement on a new deal at this point, but LaFleur said at his press conference that talks on that front have been “productive.”
As long as things remain unresolved on the contract front, there would be a chance that Brissett makes a different decision regarding his practice plans but camp will open with the veteran taking reps along with his fellow quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck.
The Cardinals added four players to their physically unable to perform list on their first day of training camp.
The NFL’s daily transaction report shows that left tackle Paris Johnson, linebacker Josh Sweat, cornerback Garrett Williams, and tight end Tip Reiman landed on the list. None of the players will be able to practice as long as they remain on it, but they count against the 90-man roster and can be activated at any point.
Sweat was the subject of trade chatter this offseason and he skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason work. He returned for mandatory minicamp, but did not participate in any on-field work.
The Cardinals picked up their option on Johnson’s contract for 2027, but he is eligible for an extension. There’s been no word about specific injuries for either player.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur is scheduled to speak with reporters on Thursday afternoon and questions about the outlook for all those will likely be part of the discussion.
During a game last season, Cardinals tight end Travis Vokolek was taken off the field on a stretcher after a collision while blocking on a kickoff. That proved to be the last play of his career.
Vokolek wrote on social media that he is retiring on doctors’ advice because of the seriousness of the neck injury he suffered on that play.
“After numerous visits with doctors and neurologists over the past couple of months, I have been advised to medically retire from the NFL due to a serious neck injury that I suffered this past season,” Vokolek wrote. “I am extremely grateful and blessed to have been able to live out my childhood dream of playing football at the highest level for the past three years. Football has taught me many life lessons and given me unforgettable memories. I am forever grateful to all my teammates, coaches, trainers, and others who have supported my family and I along the way. A sincere thank you to the Arizona Cardinals training staff for being first class with the care and support they provided my family and I during this hard time. I am especially grateful for my wife who has been there the whole time through the many ups and downs of the NFL. She has never wavered and has been extremely supportive through it all. I have attacked everyday of being a professional football player with passion, determination, and discipline. I can say that I truly left everything out on the field. Thank you for all of the love and support. Lastly, thank you football!”
Vokolek originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Ravens in 2023. After spending most of that season on Baltimore’s practice squad, he signed to the Cardinals’ active roster late in 2023 and stayed in Arizona through last season.
Jacoby Brissett has answered the first big question of Cardinals training camp.
NFL Media reports that Brissett reported to camp along with the rest of the team’s veterans on Wednesday. On Thursday, there should be more information about whether the quarterback just did that so he won’t be fined.
Brissett did not practice at all in the spring because he is looking for a revised contract that better reflects his status as the likely Week 1 starter in Arizona. Brissett did report to mandatory minicamp in order to avoid fines and his status at Thursday’s practice will reveal whether he plans to hold in until the contract is addressed to his satisfaction.
Brissett can make up to $5.39 million this season, but only $1.5 million of his salary is guaranteed. He spent most of last season as the team’s starter and finished the year with 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but the Cardinals went 1-11 over his 12 starts.
Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck are the other quarterback options in Arizona.
Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams faces four weapons charges after his recent arrest in Canada, the Associated Press reports.
Adams, 25, was charged with possession of a firearm obtained in a crime, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm, no license while in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device, according to the Durham Regional Police Service in Ontario.
Three others were arrested along with Adams.
“Isaiah is completely innocent in this matter,” Adams’ attorney Adam Weisberg said in a statement. “He had no knowledge of any firearm, and he will be fully exonerated.”
Police concluded an investigation on Friday into a male believed to be in possession of a firearm and involved in drug trafficking. Two other people arrested were charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Adams was expected to report to training camp with the team on Thursday, according to the news service.
“We are aware of the situation involving Isaiah Adams,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “Out of respect for the process, we will refrain from commenting further at this time.”
Adams, who was born in Ajax, Ontario, was a third-round pick of the Cardinals out of Illinois in 2024. He started 11 games last season after starting five as a rookie.
