Ravens Complete Trade for Cardinals Quarterback Jacoby Brissett

The Baltimore Ravens completed a trade Friday for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, acquiring the veteran and a 2027 fifth-round pick for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-rounder, the teams announced and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. Arizona also restructured Brissett's remaining salary before the deal, converting about $2.7 million of his $5.4 million into a signing bonus, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Nov 06, 2026 - 16:13

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The Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals on Friday announced a completed trade sending quarterback Jacoby Brissett to Baltimore, according to NFL.com, the Arizona Cardinals, and ESPN. The deal, first reported earlier in the week with finalization expected later, was confirmed after Baltimore's Thursday Night Football loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Under the terms reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter, and confirmed by Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort, Baltimore receives Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick. Arizona receives a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick. The same pick package appears in NFL.com's Friday roundup of league updates and in Sports Illustrated's Donnie Druin report citing Rapoport.

Salary restructure and remaining pay

Before the trade closed, the Cardinals restructured Brissett's contract. Rapoport reported that Arizona paid more than half of Brissett's remaining 2026 salary as part of the swap. ESPN's Field Yates, cited by ESPN and by azcardinals.com, reported that the Cardinals converted about $2.7 million of Brissett's remaining $5.4 million salary into a signing bonus. ESPN reported that the Ravens will owe Brissett a base salary of about $2.43 million after the deal, with incentives remaining available. Azcardinals.com, citing ESPN, wrote that an incentive of $285,000 for starting in a win while playing at least 50 percent of the snaps carries over to Baltimore because the contract itself remains in place.

Sports Illustrated described Brissett as a veteran on an expiring contract whose relatively low remaining cost helped make the deal workable for Baltimore after Arizona increased the share of salary it absorbed. ESPN reported Brissett remains eligible for incentives under the existing contract structure after the restructure.

Ravens quarterback injuries and Thursday's start

Baltimore pursued Brissett after injuries emptied its quarterback depth chart. NFL.com reported that franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson injured his thumb on his first play back from an ankle injury in Week 8, that Tyler Huntley later suffered a turf toe injury that ended his season after relieving Jackson against the Buffalo Bills, and that both Jackson and Huntley were placed on injured reserve. ESPN reported that Jackson's thumb injury may require surgery and could be season-ending, and that sources told Schefter and Rapoport on Wednesday that Huntley would miss the rest of the season.

Undrafted free agent Joe Fagnano started Thursday night against Jacksonville. NFL.com and azcardinals.com reported that the Ravens lost that game; ESPN described the final score as 33-10. NFL.com wrote that the defeat marked the third consecutive game with a different Baltimore starting quarterback and the team's fourth consecutive loss, dropping the Ravens to 4-5. Azcardinals.com and NFL.com both described Brissett as expected to step into the starting role for Baltimore, with NFL.com stating he presumably will start in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football.

Cardinals benching, trade request, and Ossenfort comments

Brissett opened the 2026 season as Arizona's starter in his 11th NFL year, NFL.com reported. He was benched after eight starts in favor of Gardner Minshew II. Azcardinals.com wrote that Minshew entered in relief of Brissett in Dallas last weekend and led a 33-30 overtime come-from-behind win, after which coach Mike LaFleur named Minshew the starter on Monday and made rookie Carson Beck the backup. ESPN reported that Brissett asked for a trade Monday when LaFleur called to tell him about the change in the quarterbacks room, according to a source.

Ossenfort told azcardinals.com the trade was "a little bit of a perfect storm" and "the right thing to do with us," adding, "It was how we were going to operate going forward." He also said the move "allows us to continue Carson's development" and "opens up more reps for Carson," while stating the club is "excited moving forward with Gardner." LaFleur, quoted by azcardinals.com, said he tries to do "what I think is best, in that moment" for the organization and the team. Ossenfort said the Ravens "have an opportunity for Jacoby that we couldn't provide."

In 20 starts for the Cardinals after taking over for Kyler Murray in 2025, Brissett went 4-16 with 5,085 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, azcardinals.com reported. In 2026 before the trade, NFL.com listed Brissett at a 63.3 percent completion rate for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Wide receiver Michael Wilson told azcardinals.com he was "humble enough to admit that without Jacoby, my career would not have ascended," citing Brissett's belief in him and the opportunities he received.

Woolfork reunion and next steps

Brissett will reunite with Ravens quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork, who held the same role with Brissett in Arizona last season; the two also worked together in 2022 with the Cleveland Browns, ESPN reported. Sports Illustrated likewise cited Woolfork's prior Arizona and Baltimore connection as part of the fit. NFL.com wrote that Baltimore becomes Brissett's seventh NFL franchise and the sixth for which he has started a game, listing prior stops with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, and Cardinals.

Arizona was listed at 3-5 in NFL.com's Friday roundup. Azcardinals.com wrote that the Cardinals figure to add a third quarterback at some point, though LaFleur did not commit to that earlier in the week. Baltimore, at 4-5 after Thursday's loss, remains in playoff contention while integrating Brissett into the offense after Jackson and Huntley's placements on injured reserve.