PHOENIX – The Arizona Cardinals’ search for a capable starting quarterback this season has forced a complete makeover of the position group over the course of just two weeks, both intentionally and inadvertently.
To understand how Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur arrived at the decision to start rookie Carson Beck on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium, here’s a recap of the eventful first half of Arizona’s season at the position.
And to predict what Beck may do with this critical opportunity ahead of a 2027 NFL draft rich in QB talent, here’s a recap of what draft analysts were saying about him before the Cardinals selected him in the third round (65th overall) of the 2026 draft.
How we got here
Former incumbent Jacoby Brissett saw his streak of 20 consecutive starts in Arizona come to an end when he was benched in Week 8 with the Cardinals seemingly headed to their sixth loss of the season. LaFleur subsequently demoted Brissett to third string, and on Nov. 6, four days before the NFL trade deadline, the Cardinals traded Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick.
LaFleur named backup quarterback Gardner Minshew II the team’s starter after he replaced Brissett and led Arizona to a comeback overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys. Minshew Mania lasted about one week before the Cardinals placed him on season-ending injured reserve on Tuesday. LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Minshew suffered a torn UCL in his throwing arm in a loss at Seattle.
Outside of recent practice squad signees Josh Johnson (Bengals) and Joey Aguilar (Jaguars), the last man standing on the depth chart is someone whose NFL debut Cardinals fans long anticipated: Beck.
The 24-year-old Beck was listed as a healthy inactive for the first eight games of the season. A rib injury kept him out of three of four preseason games, costing him valuable reps so LaFleur wanted to make sure Beck learned his system before throwing him into the fire.
Brissett’s demotion to emergency starter resulted in Beck being promoted to second string behind Minshew, and with the veteran unavailable ahead of the 3-6 Cardinals matchup Sunday against the 5-4 Rams, the rookie is now preparing for his first career NFL start.
His initial test at the pro level comes fast and furious – in the form of a Rams defense headlined by superstars Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald. The Rams enter the game allowing the fifth-lowest passing yards per game. Meanwhile, Arizona’s wide receiver room is in the process of recovering from losing Marvin Harrison Jr. via trade and both Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne to season-ending injuries.
Despite those challenges, Beck’s debut will provide some clues about what he has learned from his collegiate career, his eight games as an NFL understudy and how quickly he can develop under LaFleur’s guidance.
Beck’s background
The Jacksonville, Florida native and four-star prospect out of Mandarin High School committed to Georgia in 2020. He was named the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback entering the 2023 season, and threw for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 72.4% completion rate in 14 games.
Preseason expectations for Beck’s senior campaign included competing for the Heisman Trophy and cementing himself as a top NFL quarterback prospect. Dane Brugler, draft analyst for The Athletic, predicted that Beck would be selected No. 2 overall and become the first quarterback off the board in his early 2025 mock draft.
“In his first year as a starter, Beck got consistently better with each performance and put some beautiful throws on tape,” Brugler wrote. “He enters the season as the quarterback scouts like the most.”
However, Beck’s numbers took a dip in 2024 with 3,485 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions alongside a 64.7% completion rate. An injury in the SEC championship game also required him to undergo surgery on his right elbow in order to repair his ulnar collateral ligament.
The following season, Beck reversed his decision to declare for the 2025 draft and transferred to Miami. Despite once again throwing 12 interceptions, his time as a Hurricane also saw him throw for 3,813 yards, set a single-season program record with 30 touchdowns and complete 72.4% of his passes.
During Miami’s run to the College Football Playoff national championship game against Indiana, Beck threw for 741 yards and four touchdowns on top of rushing for the game-winning touchdown against Ole Miss in the CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl in State Farm Stadium.
Beck’s strengths
According to The Ringer analyst Todd McShay’s scouting report, Beck’s time in Miami helped improve his ability to read the field at a fast pace and not waver whenever he recognizes that one of his options is open downfield.
“His most notable improvement in 2025 was his processing speed, as he moved through progressions more quickly and played with greater confidence and decisiveness,” McShay wrote. “He trusts his reads, understands where to go with the ball and delivers it without hesitation when he sees a window.”
Beck also measured in at 6-feet-4 ¾ inches and 233 pounds at the NFL combine, putting him above the average height and weight of 6-feet-3.2 inches and 221 pounds among the 10 quarterbacks drafted in 2026. In addition, his 37-6 record in college makes him the winningest member of the class.
“Beck has the prototypical NFL quarterback build, with excellent height, a sturdy frame and 10-inch hands,” McShay wrote. “He operates primarily as a pocket passer and has strong field vision. …His experience stands out with 43 career starts and extensive exposure to high-level competition, including two SEC championship appearances and four CFP games. He finished his career 18-4 against ranked opponents.”
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein’s list of Beck’s strengths within his pre-draft analysis included “release is compact and quick enough”, “delivers a catchable ball with tight spin” and “looks like a different quarterback once he finds his rhythm.”
One of Beck’s biggest supporters post-draft was ESPN reporter Field Yates, who named him the third-best quarterback prospect and included his selection at the top of the third round inside his article of his five favorite picks in every round.
“The Cardinals knew they had to come away from this draft with a young signal-caller and made Beck the third one taken with the first pick of the third round,” Yates wrote. “Beck is a battle-tested quarterback with a live arm and the mobility skills to impact the game with his legs on occasion. Scouts raved about his football intellect during the predraft process, and he’ll have a chance to vie for playing time as a rookie.”
Beck’s weaknesses
Across the board, Brugler, Zierlein and McShay projected Beck’s ceiling as either a low-end starter or high-end backup. In a revision of his early prediction, Brugler listed him as the sixth-best quarterback prospect and labeled him a fourth-to-fifth round talent before the 2026 draft; Zierlein expected him to be selected around the fourth round and named Kenny Pickett as his NFL comparison; and McShay said he saw “shades of Tanner McKee and Aidan O’Connell in Beck’s game” when concluding that he will most likely spend a majority of his professional career as a backup.
Beck’s most commonly cited issues come from his propensity to turn the ball over and lose confidence when put under pressure in the pocket. In particular, Brugler shared concern about how Beck’s average-to-below-average athleticism and lackluster improvisational skills will affect him when he steps onto an NFL field.
“A technically sound passer with a fluid release, Beck processes well, both pre-and-post snap, and spins an accurate ball when his eyes/mechanics stay on time and connected,” Brugler wrote in his 2026 NFL draft guide. “However, his poise breaks down versus pressure, which leads to forced throws and turnovers (he accounted for a combined 14 turnovers in his six career losses). Though he has some mobility to buy time, he will have a tough time creating off script when facing NFL speed.”
Additionally, Zierlein’s list of weaknesses included “arm talent and velocity appear diminished post-2024 UCL surgery,” “struggled with touch and feel on layered throws” and “high number of batted passes for his height and release point.”
Even Beck’s character and leadership capabilities have been called into question. Brugler’s draft guide mentioned that NFL scouts reported that he “showed better maturity at Miami – but not a vocal player on sideline or in huddle.”
Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer published an article analyzing the 2026 quarterback draft class that featured quotes from two NFL coordinators saying, “there’s this sense that this guy is a villain” and “I wouldn’t touch him.”
Looking Ahead
In spite of his three seasons of experience and winning 86% of the games he played at the collegiate level, Beck will have to demonstrate that he can evolve from his struggles with turnovers. He must prove he can thrive when playing off script if he wants to prove his ceiling is higher than the career backup label he was given during the draft process.
On Sunday, he’ll begin his opportunity to do just that in Arizona. There are still eight games remaining this season, and although the Cardinals’ offense has sustained significant injuries, the QB has plenty of time to provide the team with a glimmer of hope.
NFL.com currently lists Arizona with No. 8 overall pick in a draft highlighted by an intriguing quarterback class. It’s up to Beck to convince the Cardinals that 2027 should be dedicated to building around him rather than replacing him.
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