The Arizona Cardinals moved on from Kyler Murray this offseason, but their search for a long-term quarterback might be far from finished.
Arizona already invested a third-round pick in Carson Beck, while veteran Jacoby Brissett has handled the starting job. The Cardinals are 2-4 following Sunday’s 18-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams, a victory fueled entirely by six field goals.
Now, a new first-round projection has Arizona making another substantial move at quarterback, with a 6-foot-4 passer going near the very top of the 2027 NFL Draft.
Cardinals Predicted to Select Austin Simmons at No. 2
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards projected the Cardinals to select Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons with the No. 2 overall pick in his latest first-round prediction.
Edwards acknowledged that Simmons struggled in his most recent game but emphasized the qualities that make him worth watching.
“He operates in the pocket well and has thrown with great touch and anticipation,” Edwards wrote.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior has completed 132 of 209 passes for 1,773 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions through seven games this season. He’s thrown for at least 290 yards in four outings, including a 340-yard, two-touchdown performance against Florida on Oct. 3.
His jump is notable compared with 2025, when he threw for 744 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions in eight appearances at Ole Miss. Now getting an extended opportunity as a full-time starter, Simmons has shown more production, although his recent games have been uneven.
But the last two games have shown why evaluating him isn’t straightforward. Simmons threw one touchdown and two interceptions combined against Texas A&M and Ole Miss. In Saturday’s 31-3 loss to his former team, he finished 25-of-44 passing for 339 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
There’s another unusual detail in Edwards’ projection. Although Simmons goes second overall, the CBS Sports listing accompanying the pick ranks him as its No. 100 prospect and No. 10 quarterback. That gap illustrates how far his draft evaluation could still move between now and April.
Edwards also pointed to the changing NFL outlook for 2026 first-rounder Ty Simpson, whose play slipped amid injuries last fall. Edwards’ projection also assumes Arch Manning and C.J. Carr return to school.
The projected order was based on Super Bowl odds as of Oct. 17, not Arizona’s current place in the standings.
Cardinals’ Carson Beck Investment Complicates Quarterback Prediction
The Cardinals have already begun rebuilding their quarterback room since releasing Murray in March. General manager Monti Ossenfort selected Beck at No. 65 overall in April, giving Arizona another young passer to develop under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur.
Beck, however, remains behind Brissett and Gardner Minshew II. As Cardinals.com’s Darren Urban reported, Beck was designated the emergency third quarterback against Los Angeles, eligible to play only if both quarterbacks ahead of him were injured.
LaFleur has continued to support Brissett as the starter. And although the veteran led Sunday’s last-minute drive to beat the Rams, Arizona failed to score an offensive touchdown, leaving questions about how much the offense can improve.
Using the second overall pick on Simmons would change the long-term plan immediately. It would also put a new first-round prospect ahead of a rookie Arizona hasn’t yet had a meaningful chance to evaluate in regular-season action.
Nothing about Edwards’ prediction means the Cardinals have decided to move on from Beck. But without an established long-term starter, Arizona could face another big quarterback decision next April.
Cardinals Predicted to Land 6-Foot-4, 14-TD Rising QB