The Arizona Cardinals are wasting no time getting their top players on the field this preseason.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that the starters will play against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, with most of the first group expected to get about two series before the backups take over. That plan applies on both sides of the ball, and LaFleur made it clear the key names will be out there.
In LaFleur’s press conference on Tuesday, he was asked, “Any update on who’s playing on Thursday?”
His response:
“They’re all going to play. So, we’ll have our guys out there.
How much? It’s not going to be much.
Could be one drive, max of two for those main guys. They’ll be playing, and they know that.
So, that includes Jacoby.”
That approach fits the usual preseason rhythm around the league, even if the Cardinals already got a head start with last Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in Canton, Ohio. Because they’ve already played one exhibition, Arizona is getting an extra tune-up while the rest of the NFL opens with three preseason games.
LaFleur’s plan also makes sense given what the coaching staff still needs to figure out. The offensive line hasn’t come together yet, and the team needs more live snaps to keep sorting through the receiver room. There are several players in that mix who could still make the roster, including Jalen Brooks, Bryson Green, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and rookie Reggie Virgil.
The defensive line is another area that needs game reps, and Thursday should offer a better look at Darius Robinson and new addition Roy Lopez.
Then there’s the quarterback group, which remains one of the most interesting parts of the night. Jacoby Brissett is set to get work, Gardner Minshew could finally see action, Carson Beck is in line to build on what he’s shown, and Kedon Slovis will also be part of the evaluation.
In Other News...
Cardinals May Have Found A Young Safety Ready For More
Kitan Crawford has spent his first year-plus in Arizona doing the kind of work that can be easy to miss until the staff starts talking about it. The second-year safety saw limited defensive snaps in 2025, but he made his presence felt on special teams and kept earning attention through training camp and preseason, where head coach Mike LaFleur and defensive coach Teryl Austin both praised his play style and development.
The Cardinals also got a clearer look at Crawford in their recent Hall of Fame Game, where Pro Football Focus graded him among their top performers. With Arizonas defensive scheme creating openings and injuries forcing the staff to sort through depth on the back end, Crawford appears positioned for a larger runway in 2026, and his trajectory is starting to look like more than just a special teams story. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Get First Look At A Raiders Dilemma Fans Should Watch
The Raiders are set to give Fernando Mendoza a real stage in their preseason opener against the Cardinals, and for Arizona it means an early look at one of the most closely watched young quarterbacks in the league. The rookie, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has flashed enough during training camp to earn attention, and coach Klint Kubiak said he is expected to see significant playing time in the game.
Las Vegas still plans to open with veteran Kirk Cousins as its starter, but Mendozas first live action could shape how long that arrangement lasts. For Cardinals fans, the matchup is more than a summer exhibition - it is a chance to see whether the Raiders are already confronting a quarterback decision that could come much sooner than they thought. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Just Got An Easier Way To Follow Camp Battles
Training camp battles are about to get a lot easier to track for Cardinals fans who want more than practice reports and highlight clips. The team will televise its three remaining preseason games locally on Arizona Family on CBS-5, giving viewers a clearer look at the competition shaping the roster and the bigger-picture decisions the coaching staff still has to make.
The broadcasts will include a 30-minute pregame show hosted by Mark McClune, with Paul Calvisi handling play-by-play, Sam Acho as analyst and Dani Sureck reporting from the sideline. The Cowboys game will also air on NFL Network using the Cardinals broadcast, and J.P. Shadrick and A.Q. Shipley will be on the radio call for both preseason and regular-season games, giving fans multiple ways to stay plugged in as the roster picture starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]