Carson Beck absolutely torched the field in his NFL Hall of Fame Game preseason debut for the Arizona Cardinals. The rookie, a third-round pick, completed a stellar 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards with a score. He even added two rushes for three yards on the ground, but his highlight reel moment was leading a massive 13-play, 96-yard touchdown drive. Talk about making a first impression!
Beck Sets the Bar Sky-High
A lot of folks wrote Beck off as a “throwaway pick,” especially with Jacoby Brissett slated to start what many saw as a bridge year for the Cardinals. The expectation was Arizona would be back in the quarterback market next offseason, probably with another early draft pick. But Beck, who backed up Stetson Bennett at Georgia, just dropped a big “what about me?” performance and passed the test with flying colors. This kid looks legit early, and that’s not just good for the Cardinals, it’s a huge statement that reverberates around the league.
Pressure on Simpson Hits Different
Here’s where it gets wild: Beck was drafted two rounds *after* Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson was the thirteenth pick in this spring’s draft, a much higher investment. So, when Beck lights it up like that in his first shot, you know the pressure is immediately ratcheted up for Simpson. If Beck, the later pick, can play like that, there are simply no excuses for Simpson. Rams head coach Sean McVay hasn’t spilled the beans on his exhibition game plan for quarterbacks yet, but Matthew Stafford is already resting for about 50% of the team’s practices. Stetson Bennett has been running the first-team offense on those off days. Historically, the Rams don’t play starters or key contributors in preseason. Bennett might just be considered a key contributor now, which means a ton of snaps are likely heading Simpson’s way if Bennett makes the 53-man roster. We should expect Simpson to get a similar, if not larger, workload than the full half Beck played.
Simpson simply has to meet the moment. He needs to flash the potential that made him a top pick and prove he can be trusted to run a high-flying offense, especially with Matthew Stafford’s career future potentially up in the air as soon as next season. No, he doesn’t need to be perfect. That’s never the ask for a rookie. But we need to see glimpses, some real signs of what made him such a highly touted prospect. Imagine a Rams quarterback with real mobility, a modern prototype leading that offense. That’s the dream, and with Beck’s performance, the clock is ticking for Ty Simpson to show he’s that guy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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