ARIZONA - Minicamp is now in the rearview mirror for the Arizona Cardinals, who feel as if they've accomplished a lot with training camp approaching in late July.
The Cardinals, like any other team, have seen highs and lows from their roster this summer. While there's been clear winners emerging from the team's facility in Tempe, there's also been some noticeable losers.
(To view our list of winners, you can click here )
5 clear losers as the Cardinals break one last time:
Jun 9, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) warms during minicamp at Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Jacoby Brissett: This more so gears towards off the field stuff as opposed to his standing in the quarterback race. Brissett should be the favorite to be the Cardinals' starting quarterback this summer as training camp begins, though his hold-out for a new contract has cast the Cardinals in a negative light while also rubbing plenty of fans the wrong way. Even if/when he does get a reworked contract, he'll have sizable ground to make up in terms of goodwill with the red sea.
Trey Benson: Benson was injured for the entire duration of minicamp and is just a bit further behind the eight ball with training camp approaching. Benson's buried in a depth chart holding Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love and James Conner - which doesn't spell good news for his role or roster spot. Benson needs opportunity to prove he can hang with the rest of the group, though he fell behind just a tad further as Allgeier/Love took majority of top running back work this offseason.
Max Melton: Melton didn't have the best 2025 season, and with Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas coming back healthy to a room that saw Will Johnson and Denzel Burke anchor starting duties late last season, Melton finds himself in playing time purgatory. The second-round pick clearly fell out of favor last season in Arizona, and though there appears to be an open door for anybody to take the job, Melton clearly has an uphill battle ahead.
Andrew Wingard:Wingard isn't exactly a loser in a harsh sense, especially with DC Nick Rallis utilizing a dime package often that involves three safeties on the field. However, Wingard went from a starting safety with Jacksonville last season to a likely third fiddle to Budda Baker and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. It's very much open for Wingard to compete with Rabbit for the spot opposite of Baker, though Taylor-Demerson was working with Baker for much of minicamp and appears to have the upper edge.
Owen Pappoe: Pappoe's entering his fourth season with the Cardinals and has yet to break through to the starting lineup, and 2026 appears to be no different with Mack Wilson Sr., Cody Simon and Jack Gibbens ahead of him. Arizona also drafted Karson Sharar with a late pick. Similar to Wingard, Pappoe isn't quite a "loser" in the harsh sense, though it's clear his ceiling with the Cardinals is well established as a backup and special teams player.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/onsi as 5 Clear Losers From Arizona Cardinals Minicamp .
