Sitting out three of four preseason games was never part of Cardinals rookie Carson Beck’s summer plan, but a rib injury sidelined him before he could build on his hot start.
The last time he played, he put on a clinic, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions in the Hall of Fame game. That was the only time he could do that since he hurt his ribs in the same game and sat out the rest of the preseason.
Per the latest injury reports, Beck is not getting any live reps before Week 1, ruling him out of Friday’s preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers.
The Cardinals aren’t falling apart without him, but Beck’s shot at making QB2 is. All those missing reps put his bid for backup quarterback behind Jacoby Brissett in serious jeopardy.
Carson Beck’s QB2 Status in Serious Jeopardy
The entire offseason, Beck spent every rep as a direct case to overtake veteran Gardner Mineshew at backup.
However, once the season starts, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss warns that all the missed practice will lead to Beck scrambling for the “leftovers.”
“Once the regular season starts, Carson Beck will be in a position familiar to all the quarterbacks around the NFL who aren’t starters,” Weinfuss writes.
“With how practices are structured during the season, there isn’t enough time for the backup and third-string quarterback to get a significant amount of reps. With Arizona Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett set to get the majority of snaps and Gardner Minshew II expected to back up Brissett, Beck should get what’s left — if any — as the third-stringer.”
NFL regular-season practices leave zero breathing room for developmental quarterbacks. Once game weeks kick off, Brissett consumes roughly 70% to 80% of total team reps, leaving Minshew II to split the remaining scout-team snaps.
Beck needed every single one of the preseason reps he missed to earn the staff’s trust and to prove that he belongs in the backup conversations. Missing nearly three full weeks of August work sets him back more than anyone in the building would like to admit in the QB2 battle.
Even Mike LaFleur isn’t Sure About Carson Beck’s Status Anymore
It all comes down to how long Beck takes in rehab still. Until Beck is 100%, his battle for the depth chart is on hold.
That’s why LaFleur played it cool when asked about Beck’s spot as the third-stringer.
“I’m not going to dive into it because we don’t have to worry about that right now, but it’s definitely on the forefront,” he said, per Weinfuss.
“I apologize not answering that question right now, because it is valid. And I do think in due time we get closer, I’ll answer that for you.”
LaFleur took a it-is-what-it-is approach to set the record straight on where things stand for Beck when he returns to training.
“So, it is what it is. I mean, injuries are part of this thing, and he’s a tough dude. I mean, he battled through it for three or four practices before the discomfort became so real that it just wasn’t worth it because it wasn’t going to improve until we gave him a little bit of time.”
Cardinals QB Carson Beck Hit With Clear Warning Over Missed Practice Reps