TEMPE — Rookie quarterback Carson Beck will make his NFL debut as the Arizona Cardinals’ starter Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed Wednesday, according to Arizona Sports.
Beck’s rise has been fast. Less than two weeks ago he was the emergency third-stringer. Jacoby Brissett was benched Nov. 1 in Dallas and traded to the Baltimore Ravens the following week, and Gardner Minshew hurt his elbow in last Sunday’s start at Seattle. The Cardinals placed Minshew on injured reserve Tuesday, and LaFleur said Wednesday he will miss the rest of the season.
Arizona signed quarterbacks Josh Johnson and Joey Aguilar to the active roster Tuesday to rebuild the room.
Beck hasn’t played in a game since the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6, when he went 15 for 19. A rib injury ended his preseason after that.
“Just be myself, be there for my teammates, be selfless, do what I can for everyone around me and ultimately, go out there and give my best effort, have confidence and be relentless,” Beck said Wednesday.
He said he stayed ready by running through every pre-snap call in his head during practice, even when he wasn’t taking snaps. “That’s the preparation part of it,” he said.
The Rams will be without star receiver Puka Nacua, who has been ruled out, according to the teams’ first injury report of the week. Arizona could be missing starting center Hjalte Froholdt, who is in the concussion protocol and did not practice Wednesday. Running back Bam Knight is also in the protocol and was limited.
The Cardinals also designated tight end Hunter Long to return from injured reserve, Arizona Sports reported.
Sources: Arizona Sports, Arizona Sports, Arizona Sports. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Unknown / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
