Carson Beck won’t be on the field for the Arizona Cardinals tonight against the Las Vegas Raiders, and that opens the door for the rest of the quarterback room to get a little more shine.
Beck is dealing with a ribs injury he picked up last week, and the team is choosing to be cautious, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The injury came in last Thursday’s Hall of Fame game, but it is not considered serious. Beck practiced through soreness all week, yet Arizona decided to keep him out of tonight’s preseason matchup.
That means the Cardinals won’t get the follow-up look they were hoping for after Beck’s strong preseason debut. In that game, he played a little more than a half and went 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown. Arizona had wanted to see him carry that momentum into his second outing, even with starters expected to play and potentially cut into his snaps.
Earlier this week, head coach Mike LaFleur pointed to the value of steady play.
"Consistency is the truest level of performance," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said earlier this week.
"To go out there and do it every single day, whether it be a preseason game, a practice, all those kind of things [is important]. And so you take it for what it is in that moment.
"You asked me about Carson. Carson operated the offense.
We got in and out of the huddle. He wasn't rushed.
Thought his eyes, his rhythm, his timing were for the most part in a good spot."
With Beck sidelined, Jacoby Brissett has a chance to make his own case and quiet some of the attention that’s been focused on Beck. A strong night from Brissett would remind people what he can do, especially in LaFleur’s new system.
Gardner Minshew, who sits second on the depth chart, also has something to prove. He can strengthen his argument as Arizona’s backup with a good performance, and if Brissett were to leave the lineup, the Cardinals would face a decision between Minshew and Beck. For now, Minshew has an opportunity to show he can step in and keep games competitive early in the season.
Kedon Slovis, meanwhile, looks headed for the waiver wire once roster cuts arrive. Still, this game could give him more extended work and a better chance to put something useful on tape for the other 31 teams.
Beck’s absence does not feel like a major turning point for Arizona. It does not define him or settle anything for the Cardinals’ other quarterbacks. But in the NFL, chances come fast, and tonight gives the rest of the room a shot to tilt the conversation in their direction.
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