Jacoby Brissett helped lead the Cardinals to a win last night and continued to guide the offense in a way which invited questions about a change atop the quarterback depth chart. Head coach Jonathan Gannon shut those down, but a change of heart may have quickly taken place. 
Brissett will in fact continue in his position as Arizona’s QB1, Gannon announced on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if Kyler Murray will be healthy in time for Week 10, but even in that event he will dress as the team’s backup. That would of course represent a major development.
Arizona’s offense has not matched expectations with Murray at the helm. By contrast, the unit has delivered more consistent performances during Brissett’s starts. Gannon’s comments about no permanent swap being considered came as little surprise given the team’s financial commitment to Murray. The former No. 1 pick is under contract through 2028 on a pact which averages $46.1MM per year. Spending any time on the bench while healthy would no doubt lead to a spike in speculation about his Cardinals future.
Gannon noted Murray continues to recover, leaving the door open to him being able to dress in Week 10. The 28-year-old faces the risk of reaggravating his foot injury in the event he returns to action too quickly, however. As such, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a timeline of four to eight weeks remains in place after consultations with multiple doctors. Surgery is not under consideration, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
Gannon has repeatedly spoken glowingly about Murray, who is already owed $36.8MM in guarantees for next season. Similarly, his 2027 salary will vest this coming March. By that point, a clearer picture will emerge regarding Murray’s status in terms of his health and his standing with the franchise. The two-time Pro Bowler has started each of his 88 combined regular and postseason appearances to date.
Brissett, 32, has seen time with six NFL teams over the course of his career. He has posted strong numbers (102.5 passer rating, 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio) this season while overseeing the Cardinals’ offense. It remains to be seen if that will continue on a permanent basis, but in addition to Murray’s progress in recovery it will be worth monitoring how the team operates when both of its passers are healthy.