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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is currently on his way to Baltimore, most likely to complete a medical evaluation from the Ravens to finalize a previously agreed upon trade that first broke news yesterday.
Brissett, a veteran with deep experience and a cheap expiring contract, is hoping to help rescue a Ravens team that is set to lose both Lamar Jackson and backup Snoop Huntley all in the same swoop due to injury.
The trade is expected to be finalized at some point this weekend — though an interesting nugget has been the absence of a reported compensation for Brissett.
What exactly are the Cardinals getting in return for their former starting quarterback?
An interesting note before diving into Brissett's trade value is Arizona reportedly restructured his contract to effectively turn $2.7 million of his remaining $4.5 million salary into a signing bonus. Essentially, this means the Cardinals are taking on extra money to facilitate a deal.
Brissett's value isn't seen as great. He's an aging veteran who will be a free agent this coming offseason, making him a rental. And it's not as if he was playing lights out prior to the deadline — his benching at halftime last week highlights that.
We previously discussed why the deal is a win for Arizona regardless just for the simple fact of getting something for Brissett, though at the end of the day, there is a value both sides have to agree upon, and naturally Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort would want as much as possible.
On the surface, Brissett's value would sit somewhere around a seventh or sixth-round pick. However, with the Cardinals eating roughly half of Brissett's remaining salary, that could signal the arrow is pointing towards a higher pick.
Baltimore currently has eight selections in the 2027 NFL Draft, which includes multiple fifth-round picks and original sixth/Dallas' seventh-round pick. That could be key in their willingness to part with one of their Day 3 selections.
Three years ago, the Cardinals traded quarterback Joshua Dobbs to the Minnesota Vikings near the trade deadline in a swapping of picks that saw Arizona net a sixth-round pick for a conditional seventh.
However, the Cardinals didn't take on more of Dobbs' salary like they did for Brissett. Another veteran quarterback in Andy Dalton was traded for a seventh-round pick earlier in March, where value isn't as high compared to the deadline due to urgency.
How high does Baltimore value Brissett? Do they believe he can steady their ship and potentially keep them in the playoff hunt? If so, Arizona could raise the bar in terms of asking price, and Baltimore's alleged insistence in keeping the deal hush-hush in fear of being outbid could be another indicator.
Potential outcomes:
Another note: It's possible the Cardinals would get Kedon Slovis back in a deal, as Arizona currently doesn't have a third quarterback on the roster behind Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck. Slovis spent camp and preseason in the desert and has first-hand experience in LaFleur's offense, which could make him an attractive trade piece.
Is it a coincidence the Ravens signed him on Tuesday, when trade negotiations were reportedly already well underway with Arizona?
It will be fascinating to see what the final details are when the dust settles.