Former Miami Hurricanes QB Carson Beck just got a very big opportunity, and the eyes of the nation will be on him
The ex-Canes QB will be front and center on national TV on Thursday night.
The long, grueling NFL offseason comes to an end on Thursday with the Hall of Fame game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers. Given it’s the first preseason game of the year, typically almost none of the starters on either team will see action.
That being said, the game is still an opportunity to get a first look at some long shots, rookies, and back-end-of-the-roster competitions that will take shape over the next five weeks. It’s also a chance for inexperienced signal callers to gain valuable on-field reps, and that includes a notable rookie for Arizona in former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck.
Beck gets the nod from Arizona for Thursday’s opener
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Beck, the Cardinals’ third-round draft pick, was named the starter for the Hall of Fame game by the Cardinals on Tuesday.
The move is a logical one. Neither starter Jacoby Brissett nor veteran backup Gardner Minshew need reps in this type of game. For Beck, who is currently in a competition for the backup job, it’s a good chance to get meaningful snaps and show what he can do in a live game situation against admittedly lower-level NFL competition.
Beck has shown some encouraging signs this early in training camp that he can make plays. Thursday will be about whether he can translate that to a game environment and produce during his time on the field.
A bigger picture for Beck and the Cardinals
Brissett will end up getting the starting job after renegotiating his contract. But it wouldn’t be a shock to see Beck on the field at some point this season for a rebuilding Cardinals team whose prospects look daunting in the brutal NFC West.
Getting the opportunity to shake out the on-field jitters and log some important reps could be a good first step for Beck as he begins his NFL career. It remains to be seen how much he can show on Thursday, but the Cardinals are giving the former Hurricane the stage to do it.
