How Carson Beck Has Already Impressed Cardinals Coaching Staff

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals' third round selection might just prove to be one of their top contributors for 2026 and beyond.

Quarterback Carson Beck is already impressing the Cardinals' coaching staff through the short time he's been in the desert, arriving for rookie mini-camp on Thursday and hitting the practice field at Dignity Health Training Center on Friday.

"His demeanor, I guess you could say, but that hasn't really stood out. I'm not shocked. He loves it. He loves just sitting there. He's a 24-year-old adult, and he loves ball," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said of Beck.

Beck and the rest of Arizona's rookie class will join veterans next week for voluntary offseason team activities. It's expected veteran Jacoby Brissett won't be there as the search for a new contract continues.

Sometimes there's pressure on the outside world for an early draft pick to contribute immediately, and that could very well be the case with Beck pending Brissett's situation.

LaFleur acknowledged the pressure of Beck and other highly drafted rookies while also pumping the brakes on rushing them out to the field immediately.

"Yeah, the pressure is real. But at the same time once they're picked you gotta throw that to the side. You gotta figure out what they can handle at any position, quarterback, all the way to defensive tackle. So I understand the outside pressure," said LaFleur.

"I'm not going to sit here and lie and say, 'Hey, the first round isn't different than the seventh round.' I understand that. But part of our job in this building is to say, 'Hey, take all that away, and let's develop at the pace that they can develop. Let's make sure we have great urgency in the way that we coach them.' They need to match that urgency back. Because again, the clock starts now for all these guys. No one really cares at that point. You got to put the best 53 on the roster, and the best 22 out there from a starting standpoint."

Part of Beck's allure emerging out of the draft is his experience in the college ranks and knowledge of pro-style schemes/concepts.

Could that give Beck a leg-up in getting acclimated in the coming months?

"It's not like he hasn't had attached tight ends. It's not like he hasn't been in 12 personnel. It's not like he hasn't been under center and done a play action fake, or even take a snap from under center like a lot of guys haven't," LaFleur said of Beck.

So far, so good for Arizona's newest quarterback.