The Cardinals’ first preseason outing ended in a 33-30 loss to the Panthers on a last-second play, but the Hall of Fame Game still gave Arizona a few clear winners.
Carson Beck was the biggest one. The quarterback was already considered a roster lock, but Thursday’s performance had people talking a little louder about what he might become.
That’s a long way from calling him the starter, and the source material makes that clear, but Beck did show a calm command of the game. He looked comfortable, made smart decisions and delivered the ball with confidence.
Against backups and fringe roster players or not, the stage didn’t seem too big for him. Beck finished 15-of-19 for 188 yards and a touchdown.
Jalen Brooks also helped himself. He caught three passes for 99 yards, and two of those grabs came on deep throws down the field.
There was one third-down ball he should have hauled in, but the overall showing was strong. He absorbed a big hit, kept producing and drew praise from head coach Mike LaFLeur, who said postgame he "wasn't shocked at what we saw out of him," noting Brooks has been steady all offseason and in camp.
He’s now pushing hard for a spot on the final roster.
Andrew Billings did what a veteran interior force is supposed to do. He was on the field for 12 early snaps and made them count, recording a sack and two tackles for loss.
The performance stood out, though it also comes with the expectation that a 10-year NFL vet with 90 career starts should handle offensive linemen trying to hang onto jobs. Even so, Billings and Roy Lopez look like they can give Arizona real strength in the middle of the defense.
Reggie Virgil kept his camp momentum going too. He caught five passes for 66 yards and also added a tackle on special teams, which matters because that’s part of the job description if he wants to stick on the roster.
In Other News...
Michael Wilson Just Sent A Clear Message About Cardinals Plans
Monti Ossenfort has made it clear the Cardinals see Michael Wilson as part of their future, and that kind of public vote of confidence matters for a receiver trying to carve out a lasting role. Wilson has already shown enough to stay in the conversation, and when a general manager starts talking long-term, it usually says something about how the organization views the players fit, value, and trajectory.
For Arizona, the bigger picture is about stability at wide receiver and finding the right pieces to grow with the roster around them. Wilsons status now gives the Cardinals another reason to keep building through the passing game with continuity in mind, even as other teams around the league spend training camp sorting out their own depth charts and development plans. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Finally Give Larry Fitzgerald The Honor Fans Wanted
Larry Fitzgerald is finally getting the kind of Cardinals honor many fans long felt was overdue. Arizona announced it will retire his No. 11 jersey on October 25, when the Broncos come to town, adding another lasting tribute to a receiver whose entire 17-year career was spent in one uniform and whose recent Pro Football Hall of Fame induction only reinforced his place in franchise history.
Michael Bidwill framed the recognition around more than just production on the field, pointing to Fitzgeralds professionalism and his impact on the organization and community. For a player who defined an era in Arizona, the jersey retirement gives the franchise a chance to celebrate not just what he did, but what he represented every time he took the field. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Keims Ties To A Controversial Venture Are Raising Questions
Questions are now swirling around Steve Keim, the former Cardinals general manager, after documents tied him to Motion Ventures, a company with an expanding list of scrutiny around its business dealings. The connection matters in Arizona because Keim is still a recognizable figure from the franchises recent past, and the new allegations involving the venture have put a fresh spotlight on who was around the operation and what role they may have played.
The company was run by Mohamed Coulibaly, who had recently been accused of scamming professional athletes through failed Shopify store investments before his death drew law enforcement attention of its own. Investigators are looking into both the circumstances surrounding that death and the alleged scheme, while records from a pitch deck show Keim was presented in a prominent executive role at Motion Ventures alongside references to other NFL-linked figures, leaving plenty still unresolved about how deep the association ran. [Read more 🡒]