Ossenfort says team is comfortable with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew

Zach Gershman

Is the Cardinals' Week 1 starting quarterback in the building?

It's a topic that general manager Monti Ossenfort downplayed during his pre-draft press conference with coach Mike LaFleur on Thursday.

"We're not really naming anybody," Ossenfort said when asked who is QB1. "We'll see how that room looks by the time we get in August."

The current quarterback room features Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, and Kedon Slovis. Brissett started the final 12 games for the Cardinals last season, passing for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Sitting behind Patrick Mahomes last season, Minshew only had one start.

"Both those guys have played a lot of football," LaFleur said. "Right now, none of that is even being discussed because all we're trying to do is get a foundational aspect of what this system looks like."

Ossenfort said he is comfortable with the current quarterback room going into training camp.

There's also the prospect of selecting a quarterback in the draft next week. Experts have linked the Cardinals to Alabama's Ty Simpson. Some have Simpson being available when the Cardinals are on the clock in the second round, but there's a risk with the QB-needy Jets and Steelers ahead of the Cardinals.

So far, Ossenfort said the phones have been quiet a week out, which is not unusual.

"I think one thing that you really have to talk about is if we trade back, what is the premium that we're getting paid to move back and if we do indeed move back, who is going to be available to pick when we move back to that spot?" he said. "The value of what you're giving up to move back, is that at a big enough level? If it is, great, that answers one question. But then I think the other part of that is if we drop back, are we going to be comfortable taking the player that is there?"

When it came to the quarterback conversation, LaFleur was asked about sitting a young quarterback to learn from an older player. If the Cardinals select a quarterback in the draft, they would join a room with a pair of decade-long veterans and a quarterback coach in Matt Schaub who spent 16 seasons in the NFL.

"If all things are equal, then yeah, you'd rather have that veteran kind of show that guy," LaFleur said. "But again, if we all believe as an organization that the young guy is going to give you the best chance during that 60-minute game to win, then you're going to throw them out there."

That philosophy isn't just limited to the quarterback room. Running back Jeremiyah Love is another prospect occasionally linked to the Cardinals. Love is The Athletic's Dane Brugler's second ranked prospect behind linebacker Arvell Reese.In most mock drafts, Reese, pass rusher David Bailey, and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa are the three others heavily projected to the Cardinals.

The situation the Cardinals find themselves in is pretty similar to 2023 when Arizona held the third pick. With a need at offensive tackle, the Cardinals traded out of that selection before coming up to select Paris Johnson Jr. with the sixth pick. Johnson'sfifth-year option was picked up on Thursday.

Just like that draft, Ossenfort holds the cards with many blue-chip prospects available early in the first round.

"The roster is in a much different place now than it was three years ago," he said. "But really the work and the process that we go through and the evaluation tools that we use, it doesn't change much. It's rinse and repeat. We tweak things as we go, but in terms of how we go about doing our processes, that's really the same."

With LaFleur's late hire, it took some time for the new coach to shift his attention towards the draft. That's what finalizing a coaching staff, preparing for free agency, and creating a scheme can do to someone. LaFleur mentioned he watched tape of a few guys, particularly the early round options.

The tape, and their meetings with the prospects, is what Ossenfort and LaFleur ultimately said would impact their decisions.

"Do these guys love the game, are they smart football players, (and) are they tough?" LaFleur said. "You can tell in conversation, but more importantly, you can tell when you pop on the tape. Anyone can tell. You find out some other things about how they approach it all. Do they love Sundays, or what's been Saturdays, or do they love the whole process of it to get them to a position to be as successful as they could be on Saturdays and then moving forward on Sunday."