The NFL preseason opens Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game, and the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals will get the 2026 exhibition slate rolling on the road to Super Bowl LXI. After a busy offseason that included a strong NFL Draft in Pittsburgh and a wave of notable free-agent moves, the biggest buzz now belongs to the rookie class.
A handful of first-year players are going to draw extra attention right away, and these five debuts stand out above the rest.
Jeremiyah Love might be the most fascinating name on the board. The Cardinals’ decision to draft him turned heads not because he lacked value, but because Arizona had already committed fresh contracts to multiple running backs.
Even so, Love looks like a clear upgrade over what the team has now, and the preseason will give the league its first look at a player who could develop into a future star. The talent is there for him to become one of the NFL’s top backs for a long time.
Fernando Mendoza arrives with a much different kind of spotlight. His path to the Las Vegas Raiders was the least surprising part of the draft, after a huge 2025 season ended with a national championship and pushed him all the way to No. 1 overall.
He’s currently behind Kirk Cousins on the depth chart, which should mean plenty of preseason reps. The big question hanging over it all: Have the Raiders finally found long-term stability at quarterback?
Ty Simpson landed in another draft-night stunner when the Los Angeles Rams took him at No. 13 overall. That pick was about setting up the future, not abandoning the present.
The Rams are still in win-now mode after trading for Myles Garrett to chase a Super Bowl run, and Simpson’s first preseason action will offer a preview of what comes next whenever Matthew Stafford calls it a career. If Simpson wants to quiet the doubters, he could use a strong start.
The New York Jets also moved quickly on draft night, using their pick on Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey. He’s the kind of high-upside talent who could grow into one of the AFC’s premier EDGE defenders in a few years, but the first checkpoint comes now.
This preseason will be the first chance to see how his game holds up against NFL competition. Is the league’s next generational pass rusher about to emerge?
Then there’s Carson Beck, the first selection of the third round after Arizona took him. Beck doesn’t bring elite physical traits, but the Cardinals clearly liked what they saw.
He’s an intelligent quarterback with prototypical size, and his strong showing at the NFL Combine only added to the intrigue. His camp has already had its ups and downs, which is standard for a rookie quarterback, but the preseason gives him a chance to stack some early momentum in front of fans.
Can Beck show early promise during the preseason?
In Other News...
Cardinals Depth Chart Just Raised Some Early Questions Fans Will Notice
Arizonas first preseason depth chart for 2026 offers an early snapshot of how the roster is lining up before the opener against the Carolina Panthers, and it immediately gives fans a few spots to watch. The card at quarterback is straightforward enough, with Jacoby Brissett on top of the room and Carson Beck listed as a developing third option, while the rest of the chart maps out the early pecking order across offense and defense as the team starts sorting out roles.
There are also a few places where the competition looks far from settled, especially along the offensive line and in the defensive backfield. Those are the kinds of spots that can change quickly once preseason snaps start piling up, and Arizona's first look suggests the coaching staff still has some decisions to make before the picture around the starting group comes fully into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Walter Nolens Camp Setback Creates An Early Cardinals Concern
Training camp had barely shifted into full contact work when Walter Nolen gave the Cardinals an early scare. The first-round pick went down with a left leg injury on the opening day of padded practice, then hobbled off the field and never made it back into the session, a reminder of how quickly the tone can change once the pads come on in Arizona.
The concern now is less about the moment than the unknowns around it. Nolen was hurt during 11-on-11 drills, and the team still has not offered any clarity on the exact nature or severity of the injury, leaving his status to be addressed after head coach Mike LaFleurs planned press conference. For a player expected to factor prominently into the Cardinals plans, even an early camp setback carries real weight. [Read more 🡒]