Cardinals Finally Reveal Carson Beck Preseason Plan

GLENDALE — It's officially a game week for the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals are set to partake in the NFL's Hall of Fame Game this Thursday against the Carolina Panthers to officially kick off preseason festivities.

The Panthers have already named Kenny Pickett as their starting quarterback for Thursday, but we didn't know Arizona's plan — until now.

Head coach Mike LaFleur says Carson Beck will start.

Carson Beck will start at QB for the Cardinals in Thursday's Hall of Fame game, according to coach Mike LaFleur. pic.twitter.com/FGnYYv8892
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 4, 2026

Exactly how long Beck will play remains to be seen, though the Cardinals are likely not playing Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew on Thursday – leaving it up to just Beck and Kedon Slovis to ring in the first preseason game of 2026.

Beck has had an up-and-down training camp so far. The Cardinals' rookie third-round pick struggled initially out of the gates but has picked up his performance in recent practices.

More on Cardinals Preseason Prep

The Cardinals, with more than ten practices under their belt, prepare for an actual game this Thursday for the first time under LaFleur's watch.

"The guys that do play, it's their first time out there where coaches aren't you know right behind them or giving them a script," LaFleur said earlier this week.

"There is no script. We'll be tight with our plan. What I want to go see is these guys, their play style come to life, and us go operate before the snap. That's it. And then everything else is just those guys going out and letting it loose."

Most teams typically don't play their starters in their first preseason game, though there was intrigue in the desert with it being LaFleur's first season and the Cardinals having a fourth game on their schedule as opposed to the typical three.

"I don't want to overtalk it. It's a game, and again, when you put your body on the line, it's real live bullets out there. You got to mentally get yourself right, and it's not a problem as long as we approach it that way. And so we won't overtalk about it," LaFleur continued.

"It's just hey, 'we got to go play good football. We got to operate the right way, and our play style's got to come to life' and then when the ball snaps, you got to go execute. Sometimes it's going to be clean looks, and sometimes it's going to be a look that you've never seen, particularly in the preseason. Because it's not like we're watching film on Carolina, at all. Like we're not going to watch a snap of them.

"So we're just going to have a tight plan that is all inclusive for whatever they bring at us. Protected plays, if you will. You just want to see these guys come off the rock and go."

The Cardinals and Panthers square off in Canton, OH on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 5:00 PM Arizona time. The game will be broadcast on NBC.

Add us as a preferred source on Google