Leave it to the Cardinals to mismanage an asset. It’s just before the trade deadline, and with numerous teams needing a QB, Arizona traded away Jacoby Brissett for almost nothing, in spite of him being one of the few starting-caliber quarterbacks on the market. Details have emerged on their trade with the Ravens, and it’s jaw-dropping how little they are getting in return.

Ian Rapoport is reporting that Baltimore is sending a 4th-round pick in 2027, and a 7th-round pick in 2028 to the Cardinals for Jacoby Brissett and a 5th-round pick in 2027. Considering the Ravens will finish significantly higher than the Cardinals, this is tantamount to giving away a starting QB for to move up slightly on Day 3 of the draft, and add another inconsequential late round pick. The kicker: Arizona is also going to pay over half of Brissett’s remaining salary.

This isn’t exactly the kind of trade that sends shockwaves through the NFL, but it does stand to show why bad teams remain that way. This is a staggering inability to value an asset, and while I gave credit to the Cardinals earlier this week for moving a QB they had no intention of playing, I’d now like to rescind that credit for seeing how inconsequential this trade actually was for them. This is less a case of getting something for nothing, and more having something and giving it away for pittance.

We’d be looking at this trade very differently if Lamar Jackson was guaranteed to come back this season and the deal was about bolstering depth, but the Ravens proved on Thursday Night Football how deep a hole they’re in when it comes to the QB position. In addition, the Minnesota Vikings could easily be in the market for QB help depending on how their Week 9 game against the Bills goes, with the Eagles potentially being another dark horse candidate to find a stopgap solution so they can contend in the woeful NFC East.

That’s three contenders, all of whom need help, all of whom could have been put through the wringer on a Brissett trade. It’s not like Arizona would have gotten a ton either way, but there is no planet they shouldn’t have been able to pry away at LEAST a 4th-round pick outright, especially considering they’re eating the bulk of the money due on the deal.

Congratulations to the Ravens for absolutely fleecing Arizona on this deal, because it was absolutely horrible.