March 13, 2026, 2:12 p.m. MT
The first week of NFL free agency is basically in the books. The Arizona Cardinals have been active, although they have not made any real significant moves like last offseason. It is time to start grading their initial moves.
We don’t know how they will actually work out, as the season is still months away, but based on need, fit and value, we can give initial grades.
Let’s look at quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Grading the Cardinals’ signing of Gardner Minshew
Grade: C
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Minshew gets a one-year, $5.75 million deal to come to Arizona. Initial reports have him set to back up Jacoby Brissett. He was the backup for the Kansas City Chiefs and suffered a knee injury in his one start.
He is making more money than Brissett, which is odd for a veteran backup and veteran starter.
If he is the starter, he provides perhaps a higher ceiling of play than Brissett. But neither he nor Brissett have been winners. Brissett went 1-11 last season and is 20-45 for his career as a starter. Minshew is 17-30. They are a combined 37-75. That’s not inspiring.
When the Cardinals needed to upgrade at quarterback, it is not exciting to add a guy who simply might be a little better than the career backup already on the roster.
But if Minshew starts, at least the Cardinals might be a more exciting bad in 2026.
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