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The Arizona Cardinals didn’t wait long to see what Carson Beck could do. They handed him the ball for the season opener, and he made the most of it.
Beck, taken in the third round out of Georgia and Miami, got the starting nod against the Carolina Panthers as the NFL kicked off its preseason with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. He didn’t look like a rookie making his first appearance in an NFL uniform.
A Long Drive to Start Things Off
The rookie looked comfortable right away, leading the Cardinals on a 96-yard touchdown drive to close out the first quarter. Arizona started that possession pinned deep near its own end zone – not exactly the ideal spot to build confidence. Beck didn’t seem to mind.
He found receiver Jalen Brooks on a double move for a 35-yard gain, then came back to him over the middle for another 15 yards despite tight coverage. That’s the kind of throw that gets coaches excited – tight window, accurate ball, no hesitation.
Running back Corey Kiner capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, officially the first score of the 2026 NFL preseason.
The Numbers Backed It Up
Beck went 8-for-9 for 81 yards in that opening quarter alone. He wasn’t done.
On his very first pass of the second quarter, he pushed the ball deep to Brooks, who came down with it for 49 yards. That willingness to attack downfield early is exactly what you want to see from a young quarterback still trying to prove himself.
Then came a perfectly placed fade route to Simi Fehoko for a third-and-goal touchdown.
Beck finished his night 15-of-19 for 188 yards before getting pulled after one series in the second half. Sure, a lot of the players on the field Thursday won’t make it to a 53-man roster in September. Still, it’s hard not to notice a rookie playing that clean in his first real test.
Timeline for a Bigger Role
Arizona still has veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II on the roster, and Brissett will likely open the season under center. But the Cardinals have a difficult schedule ahead, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Beck gets a look sooner rather than later.
If Arizona ends up near the bottom of the standings again – which happened last year – there’s real incentive to find out what they have in Beck before the 2027 draft class, one that’s expected to be stacked at quarterback, arrives.
Why He Fell to Round Three
Arizona clearly views Beck as a long-term investment. He went 65th overall – the first pick of the third round – which is a solid value slot for a franchise still in rebuild mode.
Beck had plenty of college success, helping both Georgia and Miami rack up wins during his career. But he also underwent UCL surgery on his throwing elbow at one point, and he threw 12 interceptions in each of his final two collegiate seasons. Add in pre-draft reports suggesting his personality didn’t sit well with some teams, and it’s easy to see why he slipped as far as he did – even while still leading off the third round.
None of that showed up Thursday night.
Arizona has three more preseason games left, and Beck will keep getting reps as the coaching staff builds a bigger picture of what he can do. Based on his first outing, it’s a pretty encouraging start.
