6 Instant Reactions to Cardinals' First 2026 Depth Chart

There's still plenty of time for this to change, but to begin their four-game preseason slate, this is what Arizona's depth chart looks like.

Our biggest takeaways:

Gardner Minshew is Absolutely QB2... For Now

There's no surprise Jacoby Brissett is the starting quarterback, but Minshew has been strong in QB2 duties thus far. Minshew's been responsible for both interceptions thrown by Arizona quarterbacks in camp, but he's also been responsible for much of the Cardinals' exciting plays on the offensive side of the ball.

In terms of being a true gunslinger, Minshew very much fits that role. You'll live and die with his arm.

Yet we say "for now" because for as hit-and-miss as Carson Beck has looked in the early beginnings of his rookie training camp, it still feels as if the Cardinals will need to see something out of the third-round pick before the regular season ends.

If Arizona makes a change at quarterback early, it will probably be Minshew. I don't feel confident in saying that later down the road.

Don't Freak Out About Jeremiyah Love Not Being a "Starter"

There's been so much noise made about Love and what his role will ultimately be with the Cardinals entering 2026. Arizona spent premium capital on him, and with him still so fresh, there's urgency in maximizing Love.

Some might see Tyler Allgeier ahead of Love and begin freaking out — there's no point in worrying about their respective slots. Allgeier has handled plenty of first team work, but so too has Love — things are truly shaping up to be a 1A/1B arrangement in the desert.

Also, while we're on running backs, Bam Knight has been getting reps ahead of Trey Benson while Benson is ahead of Knight on the depth chart, so don't pay too much mind to the placement here.

Isaiah Adams Has Firm Grasp on RG Job

Cardinals fans (and media like myself) thought we were entering training camp with a battle at right guard ensuing.

We were wrong.

Adams has dominated those snaps and is the undisputed starter unless second-round pick Chase Bisontis can really impress during preseason play. Even then, Bisontis would also need Adams' level of play to drop.

Adams has been the clear-cut favorite since camp opened and Bisontis has gotten extremely minimal run with the starters. The depth chart confirms that.

The 4 "OR's"

When a team doesn't want to flat-out name a starter, they'll typically use "or" on the depth chart. That was the case at four different positions this week:

• DL: Darius Robinson OR Dante Stills
• DL: Roy Lopez OR Andrew Billings
• OLB: Zaven Collins OR Baron Browning
• CB: Denzel Burke OR Max Melton

Three of these spots come within the front seven, which isn't quite a surprise. The Cardinals heavily rotate those guys and most guys will find some sort of action — it just depends on down, distance and scenario.

The biggest toss-up here is CB2 opposite of Will Johnson, where Burke impressed during his rookie season while Melton is looking to rebound from a shaky 2025.

Andrew Wingard > Dadrion Taylor-Demerson

It was assumed Taylor-Demerson, affectionately known as Rabbit, would finally fill starting duties after Jalen Thompson departed. Even after Wingard signed this offseason as a free agent, Taylor-Demerson's profile formed better next to Budda Baker.

Yet Wingard's had the slight edge over Taylor-Demerson this camp, and Arizona's depth chart confirms that. For what it's worth, the Cardinals love to deploy a dime look on defense (which utilizes three safeties) so Taylor-Demerson should still see plenty of time if the depth chart indeed holds true.

Devin Duvernay Owns Return Duties

Devin Duvernay is the lead return man for either kick or punt returns on the depth chart, which makes sense given his reputation across the league. There's hope he can add a different dynamic in that realm that hasn't been felt since Patrick Peterson's return days.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette owns backup duties in both respects, too. Watch for him to be a potential candidate to make the 53-man roster.