Could Carson Beck be the Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback?

TEMPE, ARIZONA - MAY 08: Carson Beck #19 of the Arizona Cardinals practices in team rookie mincamp at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on May 08, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images For the Arizona Cardinals they have been in the media for all the wrong reasons this offseason, but maybe there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. While expecting a rookie quarterback to start is a lot even for first round picks, a third round rookie starting at quarterback can be almost an impossible task.

Yet, the question becomes could that happen with the Arizona Cardinals in 2026 sooner than expected? Tom Pelissero talked about it on his show yesterday: "What third-round pick has an opportunity to start out of the gate? Every rep Jacoby Brissett doesn't take…gives (Carson Beck) the opportunity.

" @TomPelissero on the Arizona Cardinals QB battle. pic. twitter.

com/dm7rz2fnT0 — PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) May 21, 2026 Is this just more “leaks” to the media to try and force Jacoby Brissett’s hand to get into camp and get into the new offense, or is this just a reality that Mike LaFleur’s preferred quarterback on the roster right now is Carson Beck? Is LaFleur happy to get Gardner Minshew and Beck most of the reps because those were the quarterbacks “he picked” by process of the he was in the building when they were brought in? All of this offseason has been so interesting but one thing that we could say without a doubt is that the Cardinals need to decide what they have in Carson Beck, nothing else really matters this year if the team is bad.