Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur is preparing for his first official preseason game following the Hall of Fame game last Thursday.
The Cardinals are taking on the Las Vegas Raiders on the road on Thursday, with LaFleur talking with media ahead of the matchup.
The most pertinent topic ahead of the game is the conversation surrounding the starting players on the roster. No starters took the field last week, but this will not be the case this week.
LaFleur confirmed that all starters will play against the Raiders when talking to Bo Brack of PHNX. The scope of each starter’s role will be relatively small, as the head coach expects two drives at most for them.
Explore the fallout from the announcement below.
Cardinals Offensive Personnel Will See Crucial Action
GettyBrissett remains the starting QB for the Cardinals.
This is the first action that starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett will see in ramp-up to the season. This follows Brissett being ranked as one of the weakest players in at the position recently. Carson Beck excelled in his extensive work last week, but Brissett remains entrenched as the starter.
This is also a crucial game for Cardinal pass catchers, including Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison is facing pressure after ranking 48th out of 81 receivers in 2025 according to PFF. The offensive line will get in much needed reps as well, as there is likely at least two new starting players being worked in.
Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love carries the most intrigue heading into Thursday.
Love is considered a transcendent talent, but hasn’t received first-team reps at a high clip to this point of camp. The Notre Dame product remains the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, however. This will be the first opportunity Cardinals fans receive to see the dynamic back in action.
Cardinals Defense Can’t be Overlooked
GettyBaker is the leader of the Arizona defense.
Arizona’s defense is arguably a bigger concern than the offensive side of the ball.
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis has his work cut out for him. Star edge rusher Josh Sweat remains on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. The pass rush is shaky on paper without Sweat’s presence.
The interior of the defensive line is a major question too. Players such as Darius Robinson and Walter Nolan are promising, but have also been hampered by injuries.
The secondary is possibly the most crucial area of them all. Budda Baker is the unquestioned leader of the defense. He also needs others to step up in the back-end of the defense.
Second year cornerback Will Johnson is in a position to provide the needed aid. Johnson flashed game-breaking ability as a rookie. He also missed numerous games due to injury. Fellow second-year cornerback Denzel Burke is in line to be one of the steals of the 2025 draft in his own right.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson is perhaps the most intriguing player on the entire defense. The third-year safety is listed as a reserve at the moment. However, he played well enough over his first two seasons to make the Cardinals feel confident about moving on from longtime standout Jalen Thompson.
Arizona will play the Raiders on Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 5:00 P.M. AZT.
Arizona Cardinals Coach Makes Crucial Announcement Ahead of Preseason Contest