Carson Beck injury may cost him more than just a Fernando Mendoza rematch

It’s a very untimely injury for Carson Beck. On the heels of his standout performance in the Hall of Fame game last week, the Arizona Cardinals confirmed that Beck will be out Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders due to a rib injury he suffered during the Hall of Fame game. While it doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t move up the depth chart or even bulldoze his way into the QB1 picture in Glendale, it does stymie his progress. It should be noted that he practiced through soreness all week, according to Ian Rapoport, but the Cardinals held him out of Thursday out of caution. 

This also means we won’t get to see a rematch of the quarterback duel from the 2026 College Football Playoff national championship game with Fernando Mendoza set to play in Thursday’s game. It’s not much of a problem other than he’ll miss out on another chance to get reps and prove he’s good enough to win the starting job. The fact that they’re preserving his health too makes it clear they see value in him, even if he’s not the starter.

Does Carson Beck still have a shot at QB1 after being ruled out of Thursday’s preseason game?

Beck should still be seriously considered for the backup job to Jacoby Brissett and have an outside chance to win the starting job. It would take a miracle for Beck to climb all the way from the bottom of the depth chart to the top, but it’s not impossible. Had he played Thursday and looked like he did a week ago, the Cardinals would have a serious decision on their hand. I think realistically, Beck can still fight for the starting job if he plays the remaining two preseason games. 

Realistically, he should beat out Gardner Minshew for the backup job. I think in a pinch, the Cardinals would feel more comfortable with Minshew, but if Beck continues to shine in practice and the rest of the preseason, there’s no reason why he can’t win the backup job. Truthfully, missing Thursday shouldn’t affect his ability to earn the backup job. It makes it a bit tougher to win the starting job, though that was always going to be a long shot.

What else does Carson Beck need to prove to the Arizona Cardinals ahead of Week 1?

The most important thing Beck can prove is that he’s continuing to learn and grow as a quarterback in the NFL. The preseason is watered down football with not a lot of opportunities for quarterbacks to flex all of their knowledge. Beck wasn’t seeing a lot of exotic defensive schemes – and obviously wasn’t facing the first team defense. It was always going to be hard evaluating Beck because these game-simulated opportunities aren’t the same as regular season. 

That’s taking nothing away from the preseason, but it’s not the end all be all for talent evaluation. It’s a chance to work out kinks and really a chance for borderline roster players to prove they deserve one of the 53 coveted spots on the roster. The rest of this preseason, Beck needs to gain the confidence of the coaching staff. That will be the most important thing for him if he wants to contend for the starting job. 

Brissett is their starting quarterback right now and it’s going to take a lot to change that. It doesn’t mean Beck can’t work his way into the mix, but missing Thursday isn’t ideal. A rematch against Mendoza would have been fun to watch. Seeing if Beck can really be a starting quarterback in the NFL – or at least make it interesting – is truly what he’s being robbed of. 

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