Former Miami quarterback Carson Beck has a very interesting opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. Rapoport stated Arizona waited to draft Beck with the first pick in the third round because they understood his value.
Once Beck was not selected in the first round Arizona calculated Beck slipping past the second round per Rapoport. Arizona selected Beck with the first pick of the third round in the 2026 NFL Draft. Rapoport called Beck "a very talented QB." Beck will compete with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew to be the Arizona starting QB.
Brissett returns after leading Arizona QBs in 2025 with 14 games played and 12 starts. Minshew played in four games with one start in Kansas City in 2025. Arizona moved on from the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Kyler Murray, who was traded to Minnesota during the 2026 offseason.
Beck was the third QB selected in the 2026 NFL Draft after the Las Vegas Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza first overall and Ty Simpson was taken by the Los Angeles Rams with the 13th pick in the first round.
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: With the uncertainty surrounding the #AZCardinals QB position, Carson Beck has as good a shot as anyone. pic.twitter.com/inTilD4wIQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2026
"Once Carson Beck didn't go in the second round...they understood the value across the league. Once they didn't take him in one, they probably weren't going to take him in two. The Cardinals wait, wait, wait. They get a really talented QB. They take him in the third round...They have Jacoby Brissett...has not been present this spring because he wants a contract extension...and they have Gardner Minshew...Carson Beck will get a shot. He has to earn it or he won't. But he is going to have a very interesting opportunity in Arizona. "Ian Rappaport, NFL Network
Beck's opportunity with Arizona
The opportunity Beck has with Arizona is somewhere between Mendoza and Simpson. Mendoza is the projected starter ahead of free agent signee Kirk Cousins. Simpson will not likely be the starter with the Rams until Matthew Stafford decides to retire or gets hurt.
Beck is competing against two journeymen QBs with Arizona. Brissett is entering his 11 seasons in the NFL. Arizona is the sixth team Brissett has played for. Brissett has started a game in seven different seasons with 20 wins and 45 losses.
Arizona is also the sixth NFL team for Minshew. Minshew has started at least one game in all of his NFL seasons with a record of 17 wins and 30 losses. Brissett lost his only NFL playoff start. Minshew has never started an NFL Playoff game.
Playing in the NFC West, the toughest division in the NFL, Arizona faces a challenging rebuilding job. Arizona could provide Beck the opportunity to prove he's the Cardinals' long-term answer at QB as the rebuild during the 2026 season. Beck could develop and grow as Arizona does, the same as a franchise.
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