Things are coming off the rails quickly for the Arizona Cardinals. After a surprise win in Week 1, they’ve now dropped three games in a row and will need to turn things around almost immediately if they want to salvage their season.
That has led some to question whether or not there should be a quarterback competition in Arizona. After all, Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett struggled to win games a season ago when he replaced Kyler Murray. Now, he again appears to be struggling despite having plenty of playmakers around him. Worse, those playmakers are also struggling in recent weeks.
For the season, Brissett is completing 67.8% of his passes for 818 yards and 6 touchdowns to 4 interceptions. 3 of those interceptions came in the loss to the New York Giants in Week 4. Concerningly, he is only throwing for 5.38 yards per attempt. That’s 41st among any quarterback who has thrown a pass this season. In other words, there’s no downfield attack.
This also comes after an offseason where Brissett stepped away from the team to get a larger contract. He eventually did land that deal, but it now hangs over his and the Cardinals’ respective heads.
Arizona Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur Dismissed a Quarterback Competition
Given the struggles that the Cardinals have had, particularly as Jacoby Brissett appears to be missing opportunities to create plays on offense, questions about a quarterback competition are fair. Still, when Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur was asked about it following the Giants loss, he gave a quick “no.”
For at least this upcoming week, LaFleur is sticking with Brissett. That, of course, doesn’t mean that there won’t be a change later in the season, but nothing appears imminent.
The Cardinals do have some interesting options behind Brissett. Gardner Minshew has had a similar career path as Brissett. That is to say, he’s a veteran who is typically a backup but has found himself at times in the role of a starting quarterback as he’s bounced around the NFL. At his best, Minshew was even named to a Pro Bowl.
Then, most Cardinals fans are going to be interested in Carson Beck. A rookie, he flashed enough talent in the preseason to give fans something to hope about for the future. He just hasn’t had a chance in the NFL yet.
The Cardinals Need to Figure Out the Future at Quarterback
The first goal of any NFL coaching staff should be to win the games on their schedule. However, at 1-3 and in a very competitive division, the Cardinals do need to reckon with the possibility that this is the first step in a rebuild and that the playoffs might not be overly reasonable to expect.
Considering that, and the reality that Brissett isn’t the long-term answer at quarterback, the Cardinals need to step back and figure out a plan. That means playing Beck, and seeing if he’s someone who can develop into a capable NFL quarterback.
The 2027 NFL Draft is allegedly going to be heavily stocked with quarterback talent. Still, even in the best drafts, plenty of can’t miss guys do end up being busts. Arizona needs to know if they’re looking at one of those quarterbacks, so they can scout them.
It’s still early in the season, and Beck may not be ready to compete in the NFL. However, if the team continues to struggle, LaFleur will need to reconsider.
Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur on QB Competition Amid Jacoby Brissett Struggling