Although the Arizona Cardinals fell at the 2026 Hall of Fame Game, they will make their official NFL Preseason debut against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jacoby Brissett is expected to play, even if it’s on a limited capacity, as the Cards start their journey under Mike LaFleur’s instructions.
“They’re all going to play,” LaFleur told reporters about how he plans to use the Cardinals’ starters in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL Preseason. “It’s not going to be much. It could be one drive or, maximum two for those main guys. That includes Jacoby [Brissett].”
Brissett didn’t play during Arizona’s last-second loss to Carolina in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Thus, this will be the first time fans see the Cardinals’ starting quarterback heading into the 2026 NFL season.
Brissett agreed to a contract restructure during the offseason, which only adds to the pressure on him to perform in 2026. An NFL preseason game against the Raiders—in which Brissett will likely only play a drive or two—won’t have any impact, but it will be something to keep an eye on heading into the new campaign.
Jacoby Brissett #7 of the Arizona Cardinals.
Who will be Cardinals’ starting QB vs Raiders?
Brissett will likely command the Cardinals’ huddle for the first drive or two of the preseason matchup against the Raiders. However, that will be all fans see from him. Going down Arizona’s depth chart, Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis will replace Brissett against Las Vegas.
Brissett is the No. 1 QB in town and is set to make $15.5 million this season, so the Cardinals will keep him out of harm’s way during the NFL preseason as much and as best as they can.
Why Carson Beck isn’t playing tonight for Cardinals
Most fans hoped to see Carson Beck in the preseason matchup against the Raiders, but the rookie has been ruled out with a rib injury. Beck sustained the setback during the Hall of Fame Game and practiced through soreness and pain all week.
Ultimately, though, Arizona made the wise choice by declaring Beck out. Thus, the second chapter of Beck’s NFL journey through the desert will have to wait. Moreover, there won’t be a rematch—even if only for a few minutes—of the 2026 National Championship Game between Fernando Mendoza and Carson Beck.
Fans want to see Carson Beck
It wasn’t the toughest competition or the biggest of stages, but rookie quarterback Beck made a great first impression during the Hall of Fame Game. The Cardinals’ third-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft showed composure and a needle-threading ability that fans in the desert haven’t seen from a quarterback in a while.
Well aware that Brissett is the starting QB heading into the season and that may be the wiser decision, the fanbase still wants to see Beck more. Everybody knows what Brissett brings to the table; they want to see what Beck can do and whether Arizona has landed its quarterback for the future in the 24-year-old rookie.
Brissett is the sure thing. Arizona knows the veteran can keep them at a constant level, but with few sparks. With Beck, however, anything can happen. As a rookie, he will surely be more irregular, but the peaks may be higher. Injuries may be something to keep an eye on, though, as Beck has missed key moments in his college career due to health issues and will miss an NFL game because of one, too.
