Arizona’s Carson Beck has become one of the more interesting names in the Cardinals’ preseason picture, and not because of what he’s done on the field lately. The third-round rookie was expected to see a heavy workload in August, but a ribs injury in the Hall of Fame Game changed that fast. He hasn’t appeared in preseason action since, and he also hasn’t practiced in weeks.
That absence has sparked speculation that Beck could be headed to injured reserve before final roster cuts, which would sideline him for the first four games of the 2026 regular season. But Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur wasn’t interested in feeding that conversation when asked about Beck’s regular-season availability.
"I'm not going to dive into it because we don't have to worry about that right now," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said when asked about Beck playing in the regular season.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, though, pushed back on the idea that Beck is likely to land on IR.
"Carson Beck unlikely to start on IR - lost a chance at some valuable reps so that hurts we all were excited to see him play more after what he did in the first preseason game," he wrote on X this week.
The Cardinals are also unlikely to use Jacoby Brissett tonight in Lambeau Field, which opens the door for Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis to handle the reps in Green Bay against the Packers in the preseason finale.
Even with the injury slowing him down, Beck made a strong first impression. In the limited action Arizona got from him, he graded out as one of Pro Football Focus’ top preseason quarterbacks and flashed the traits that made him a Day 2 pick in this year’s draft.
He won’t open the regular season as Arizona’s starter because Brissett is in front of him, but there’s still a belief around the team that Beck could get a look later if the Cardinals’ difficult schedule starts to drag down their record.
In Other News...
Cardinals Face A Tough James Conner Call Before Week 1
James Conners availability is becoming one of the Cardinals most important early decisions as Week 1 approaches. The veteran running back is working back from a severe ankle injury, and he still has not taken part in full team practices, leaving Arizona to balance caution with the reality of how much his presence matters to the offense.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said the team will lean on Conners own read of whether he is ready to play, but the roster move ahead of the opener remains unresolved. Arizona will have to choose between keeping him active or placing him on injured reserve, a move that would sideline him for at least the first four weeks and force the Cardinals to navigate the start of the season without one of their most established backs. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Are Facing An Ugly 2026 Question Already
The early outlook for 2026 is not exactly comforting around the NFC, and Arizona is part of the reason why. The Cardinals are being grouped with a few other teams whose path forward looks shaky, with roster churn, injury concerns and quarterback uncertainty all making the margin for error feel thin before the next season even gets here.
For Arizona, the bigger issue is how much of the rebuild still depends on young players taking a real step forward. There is development to be had, but there are also the usual questions that come with a team trying to climb while other parts of the roster are still being sorted out. In a conference where the smarter long-term bets can change quickly, the Cardinals may be one of the harder teams to pin down by the time 2026 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face Final Roster Calls In One Last Preseason Audition
The Cardinals head into their final preseason game against the Packers with the kind of roster tension that always hangs over this stage of August. At multiple spots, the staff is still sorting through tough decisions at wide receiver, along the offensive and defensive lines, at outside and inside linebacker, and in the secondary, with special teams value also shaping the picture. For a handful of players, this is the last chance to turn a camp battle into a place on the roster.
Arizonas evaluation process is not just about who flashes in one preseason outing, either. Performance, injuries and the ability to contribute in hidden phases all matter as the Cardinals try to narrow down a crowded field before cutdown day. The final preseason test against Green Bay gives those players one more opportunity to make a case, and it leaves the team with a few unresolved calls that could shape the depth chart well beyond August. [Read more 🡒]