For the Indianapolis Colts, the 2019 season will always be remembered for one franchise-altering decision. That was the year quarterback Andrew Luck walked away from the NFL. Despite the trauma of Luck’s departure, Frank Reich got his team off to a fast start, winning five of their first seven games. Then the wheels fell off.
Sound familiar?
Jacoby Brissett was thrust into the starting lineup for the second time in three seasons. He had also started most of the 2017 season when Luck was out with an injury. Things went somewhat better in ’19, even with the second-half collapse. The Colts finished 7-9 for the year.
Former Colts QB Jacoby Brissett and Braden Smith could reunite in 2026
Brissett had a good year, throwing for almost 3,000 yards and racking up 18 touchdowns against just six interceptions.
One of the reasons was an offensive line that was able to stay healthy for the entire year. Ryan Kelly was at center, flanked by guards Quenton Nelson and Mark Glowinski. Anthony Castonzo played every snap at left tackle. On the other side, second-year right tackle Braden Smith had an excellent season.
Next year, Brissett and Smith may find themselves on the same team once again. The Arizona Cardinals just fired their head coach, Jonathan Gannon, and no one knows what their new coach will want to do with presumed franchise quarterback Kyler Murray.
Brissett played a lot during Murray's injuries in 2025. The veteran recorded his highest passer rating as a starter. His 94.1 score put him a few points ahead of the league average and ahead of playoff QBs like C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, and Caleb Williams.
That doesn’t mean Brissett is better than those younger players, but it is a pretty good indication that Jacoby Brissett remains a decent option for any NFL team.
The Cardinals had trouble up and down the roster in 2025, but one of the biggest problems for Brissett was the leaky pass protection. He was sacked 43 times, fifth most in the league. That’s where Braden Smith enters the picture.
Smith will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Though there is always a chance that Chris Ballard could work out a deal to keep him in Indianapolis, that doesn’t seem likely at this point. He has bigger issues to worry about.
Alec Pierce, Nick Cross, and Germaine Pratt are also scheduled to hit free agency, and of course, Daniel Jones’ injury looms over every decision the franchise makes at this point.
More importantly, in his brief audition late in the season, Jalen Travis looked ready to step into Smith’s right tackle spot if the position opens up.
Meanwhile, in Arizona, they need help on the line. Kelvin Beachum finished the season at right tackle after injuries ended the seasons of both Arizona’s starting tackles. Beachum is 36 and will be a free agent this March. He is not a long-term option.
Jonah Williams certainly is, but he, too, will be hitting free agency in a few months. Both Williams and Smith should attract attention from any tackle-needy team. Williams is younger but has also been injured several times since joining Arizona in 2024. He was rumored to be a trade candidate at the 2025 deadline.
It is not hard to see the Cardinals hitting the reset button with their offensive line. Were they to do that, Braden Smith would be an ideal veteran to add stability at tackle. He won’t be cheap, nor will he break the bank with a huge contract. And if he does wind up in the desert, he might find himself blocking for Jacoby Brissett, just like he did in 2019.