The Arizona Cardinals‘ Gardner Minshew gamble backfired in the very first game they brought him in, leaving them with dangerously low depth in the QB room.
Throwing rookie Carson Beck into the fire was a risk as it was, they had to do it without reliable veteran backup.
Cardinals Work Out Veteran QBs, Wide Receivers
The Cardinals did sign veteran Josh Johnson off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad and also brought in Joey Aguilar from the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. They’re all behind Carson Beck, but the Cardinals are still hunting for more veteran depth, in case the Beck gamble goes sideways too.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the Cardinals tried out two veteran QBs this week, Cooper Rush and Trevor Siemian on Tuesday.
Besides the two quarterbacks, the Cardinals also worked out wide receivers Phillip Dorsett, Malick Meiga, and Eli Pancol. So, five players in total.
While they didn’t sign either of the quarterbacks, they did sign Dorsett, the only signing among the five.
Rush signed with the Atlanta Falcons in July and unexpectedly started Week 1 and Week 2 when Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined. Rush went 0-2, completing 56.4% of his passes for 229 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. That explains why the Falcons cut him on October 19 once Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. were healthy.
The Cardinals not signing Rush was still believable, since Siemian came in with a former connection edge over him anyways.
However, even that connection couldn’t land him a role.
Trevor Siemian Has Special Connection Inside Cardinals Building
The last snaps that Siemian played were in 2023 with the New York Jets. Nathanieal Hackett was the then-offensive coordinator for the Jets. Now, he holds the same role with the Cardinals, making him the direct connection Siemian had walking in for the tryout.
Siemian started three games for Hackett in 2023, posting 56.2% completions, 724 yards, and 2 TDs for 4 INTs.
Ironically, his brief stint in Atlanta also connects with Rush’s directly. Atlanta actually signed Siemian in March 2026, released him on July 29 with a non-football injury designation, and signed Cooper Rush to take his spot the same day.
Since Rush and Siemian both left without a contract, the Cardinals’ search isn’t over yet. Arizona is expected to keep looking for more QB depth behind Beck, even if it is as his safety net.
Cardinals Work Out Ex-Cowboys, Ex-Broncos QBs Before Facing Rams