After hiring a new coach in the offseason, the Arizona Cardinals’ training camp quarterback battle is now the top story in Arizona sports. Coming off four straight losing seasons with quarterback Kyler Murray primarily at the helm, change could be coming for the team. The team’s new head coach, Mike LaFleur, enters training camp with two veterans and a rookie vying for the starting position. Here are three reasons why rookie Carson Beck could win the training camp battle.
Starting quarterback Murray suffered a season-ending foot injury during the Week Five contest against the Tennessee Titans in 2025. Veteran Jacoby Brissett came in and valiantly took the reins for the remainder of the Cardinals’ doomed season. After Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings for the upcoming season, Brissett assumed he would be the starter in 2026 and is looking for a new contract.
Playing in 14 games for Arizona during 2025, Brissett threw for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions for a quarterback rating of 94.1. After posting impressive numbers and being presumed to be the starter in 2026, the 33-year-old quarterback is unhappy with his contract. Brissett is entering the final year of a two-year, $12.5 million deal. For 2026, he is set to earn a $4.88 million base salary for the year, but only $1.5 million is guaranteed, much less than the guaranteed $5 million for likely backup Gardner Minshew.
Unhappy with his current salary, Brissett has skipped voluntary offseason workouts and sat out team drills during mandatory minicamp. Due to missing these workouts and drills, Beck has split valuable first-team reps with Minshew, already allowing the new coaching staff to see how they mesh with the offense. If Brissett continues to sit out activities in training camp over contract negotiations, Beck could move ahead of the veteran for good, potentially opening the opportunity for the Cardinals to cut or trade Brissett.
After signing Minshew to a 1-year, $5,750,000 contract with Brissett already on the roster, Arizona drafted Beck in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft. Picking the University of Miami quarterback was part of an offense-centered draft strategy that also yielded the top running back in the draft, Jeremiah Love out of Notre Dame. While not drafted to be the immediate starter, Beck could win the training camp battle if the Cardinals wanted to commit to a full rebuild.
The rookie quarterback and running back join an offense filled with several young stars. At only 26 years old, All-Pro tight end Trey McBride is joined by 23-year-old wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and 26-year-old wide receiver Michael Wilson. With Brissett and Minshew already in their 30s, Arizona could go full rebuild with Beck to allow him to grow with the offense from the jump rather than have him sit and learn.
If the rookie wins the training camp battle, it will allow the Cardinals to see how Beck does against NFL competition. If he struggles and Arizona has another losing season, they would then be in a position to select another quarterback at the top of the NFL draft. The upcoming quarterback draft class is projected to include several top prospects like the Texas Longhorns’ Arch Manning.
One reason why Beck could win the training camp battle is that he is simply a good player. The rookie started three seasons in college for the powerhouses Georgia Bulldogs and Miami Hurricanes. While playing under center, Beck kept both programs in the National Championship hunt, going a combined 37-6 in college.
While he started three seasons, Beck played a total of 55 games in college, throwing for 11,725 yards. The 23-year-old added 88 touchdowns to his yards with only 32 interceptions thrown and a completion percentage of 69.5. While not known for his running ability, Beck rushed for seven touchdowns in his career with 288 yards.
Having played 55 games in the SEC and ACC, Beck has faced some of the best competition in college football. Helping the quarterback succeed is his intense work ethic, with coaches noting that he spends 13 hours a day at team facilities studying the playbook. The depth of his experience combined with a relentless work ethic could lead Beck to win the Cardinals’ starting quarterback training camp battle.
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Coming off a 3-14 season and the departure of Murray, Arizona is back searching for its long-term answer at quarterback. With Brissett returning, the signing of Minshew, and the drafting of Beck, the Cardinals’ training camp quarterback battle should give them clarity for the future. Even though Brissett had a good 2025 season, Beck is in a great position to steal the starting spot.
Cardinals Training Camp Quarterback Battle Winning Chances: Brissett 40%, Beck 40%, Minshew 20%
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