Carson Beck’s NFL preseason debut is the top story of the Arizona Cardinals‘ 33-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The third-rounder’s performance caught the attention of many, including NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and former Cardinal Kurt Warner.
Warner went on Bickley & Marotta on Arizona Sports to discuss the rookie’s first game.
“Obviously he looked the part,” said Warner. “He made big throws down the field, comfortable in the pocket. I love how he throws the football; it reminds me of how I used to play.
“He doesn’t try to overpower anything. He understands how to make different throws and make it easier on the guys around him. I thought he was in full control. I thought he looked really, really good, and I’m excited to see, moving forward, what that means for him.”
Carson Beck Praised for Impressive Preseason Debut
Carson Beck’s outlook is pretty much set in stone to begin the 2026 season. He’ll likely open the year as the Cardinals‘ third quarterback on the depth chart behind Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II.
However, his preseason performance could determine the organization’s direction beyond this season. That first preseason game was the first step in his career. Head coach Mike LaFleur praised the way the rookie handled his first NFL start and managed the drives.
Beck ran the offense for the first five non-kneeldown drives. The Cardinals scored 17 points, including back-to-back touchdown drives in the second quarter.
Beck showed the ability to execute different types of throws. He layered in a couple of hole shots to standout receiver Jalen Brooks on both touchdown drives. He showed the ability to avoid disaster in the red zone, something LaFleur praised, then executed a perfect jump ball to Simi Fehoko for his lone touchdown pass on the next play.
The rookie quarterback also had one more impressive throw on the night that went down as an incompletion. On his final attempt, he perfectly placed a go ball between two defenders, but Reggie Virgil could not complete the catch through contact.
In addition to his head coach and the greatest Arizona Cardinals quarterback ever, Beck drew praise from other analysts. That list includes Chase Daniel and Dan Orlovsky, who spent a long time in the league as backups.
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What’s Next for Carson Beck?
The Cardinals know what Carson Beck is capable of in a game setting. There is the obvious caveat that he wasn’t playing against the Panthers’ starting defense, but that’s something for the coaching staff to evaluate.
Beck will get plenty of run in the postseason. Each snap is an opportunity to improve and earn more trust from the coaches. If the rookie handles his first preseason well, that will impact their offseason plans at quarterback.
Both Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II will be free agents following the 2026 season. That means Beck could secure a spot as the backup at worst, if not an opportunity to start if the Cardinals have a rough season.
There isn’t much optimism that Arizona will win a lot of games this season. Caesar’s Sportsbook currently sets the over/under of wins at 4.5. In such a scenario, the coaching staff could give Beck a chance to start an NFL game and see how he handles that.
Carson Beck’s Cardinals Debut Impresses NFL Hall of Famer