Cardinals Must Play Carson Beck Sooner Rather Than Later

The Arizona Cardinals are searching for a long-term solution at quarterback after releasing former first-round pick Kyler Murray this offseason.

Murray will get an opportunity to rehab his career with the Minnesota Vikings and head coach Kevin O’Connell, who has helped rebuild Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones in recent seasons.

The Cardinals have four quarterbacks on the roster: Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, Kedon Slovis, and Carson Beck.

Brissett, 33, will be the likely Week 1 starter. He went 1-11 as Arizona’s starter last season, throwing for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

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The Cardinals should consider starting Beck as soon as possible this fall, even by Week 1.

Arizona took the former Miami quarterback in the third round of this year’s draft. Before he suffered a ulnar collateral ligament injury at Georgia in 2024, there was a possibility Beck would have been a first-round pick in the 2025 draft.

Josh Weinfuss of ESPN thinks it’s a possibility that the Cardinals could start in Week 1, though a change would most likely come later in the season.

“Beck could be thrust into the lineup at any point; midseason if the Cardinals struggle out of the gate or November/December if the season is lost,” Weinfuss wrote. “If Arizona falls out of playoff contention, don’t be surprised if the team throws him out there to see what it has entering the 2027 draft.

“While starting Week 1 is a long shot, there’s a distinct possibility of Beck playing at any point from Week 2 on.“

The Cardinals should give Beck a large sample size of games to play so they can properly evaluate him. It could take Beck a few games to warm up before he adjusts to the speed of the game at the NFL level. There is a possibility the Cardinals might have found a gem with the Day 2 quarterback.

However, if the Cardinals find that Beck isn’t the solution as QB1, the team can move on to find a quarterback in a loaded 2027 class.

For more on the Cardinals and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 6:54 PM.