Jacoby Brissett is the undisputed starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals heading into Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but get this: the guy missed literally *all* of the offseason activities. Every single one. While the rest of the team was grinding through training camp, preseason games, OTAs, and minicamps to learn a brand-new, intricate offense, Brissett was nowhere to be found.
The New Offense, The Missing QB
New head coach Mike LaFleur, straight from the Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, was brought in specifically to fire up the Cardinals’ offense. His job? Install a completely new system, one that’s intricate and complex, the kind of scheme that takes endless reps, meetings, and practice to master. Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck soaked up every bit of that tutelage all offseason, getting those crucial reps. Meanwhile, Brissett was out there, shall we say, “bolstering his bank account” and missing it all. When he finally did ink his new deal and return to the team, he was apparently pretty far behind the learning curve. You can’t just flip through some Cliff Notes for a system this complex and expect to be ready. The quarterback’s job isn’t just knowing his own individual role; he’s gotta know what *everyone* on the field is doing, every single play call. That’s a massive challenge when you’ve missed every practice session.
His “Ace in the Hole” Has Been Working Overtime
So how does an 11-year veteran who’s played in multiple systems catch up on a whole new, complicated offense when he missed everything? Brissett has an asset, call it his secret weapon: he’s aligned himself with QB coach Matt Schaub. And since Brissett signed on the dotted line, he and Schaub have been putting in serious overtime, diving deep into all the nuances of this new scheme. LaFleur and Schaub weren’t starting from scratch with Brissett either; they know he’s an 11-year veteran, has played in multiple systems, and is known as a quick-learning student. Schaub has basically become Brissett’s shadow, working non-stop to get him up to speed. This pairing is absolutely crucial if Brissett is going to be able to command that huddle and lead the offense from day one without any hiccups.
It all comes down to Week 1 against the Chargers. Can Brissett truly command that huddle, know everyone’s responsibility on every single play, and lead this intricate new offense without a single offseason rep under his belt? He’s got the experience and a dedicated coach in Schaub, but missing *that much* time is wild. The pressure is on, big time. We’re about to find out if all that overtime work with Schaub was enough to bridge the gap.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.
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