The Arizona Cardinals have been rebuilding from the ground up for most of the past three seasons. The Cardinals' offense already has some young weapons, and their quarterback situation is much more stable than the national media suggests. Their one goal going into draft weekend is to build up the trenches and strengthen the defense. That means Arizona needs to be very disciplined and not give in to the urge to draft Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson or Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck. These are two players who would be a huge mistake for the team to make right now.
Arizona's QB Room Is Fine — For Now
Let's talk about the big issue. The Cardinals have more than one quarterback option. Jacoby Brissett is a 10-year NFL veteran who brings stability, leadership, and the kind of veteran presence that a young team really needs in the huddle. Gardner Minshew is one of the most competitive backup quarterbacks in the league. He has shown that he can win games when needed and has real potential. Brissett and Minshew make a great bridge duo that can run an offense built on skill and scheme rather than a franchise arm.
Brissett has completed 64.2% of his career passes and shown he can run a game without turning the ball over too often. Minshew, on the other hand, had his best season as a starter, completing 62.3% of his passes and throwing 20 touchdowns. Neither player is a long-term solution, but that's okay. The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class will be one of the best in a long time, with players like Arch Manning and Dante Moore who could change the course of a franchise. The Cardinals would be making one of the dumbest moves possible if they used even a mid-round pick on a developmental quarterback in 2026.
Why Ty Simpson Is the Wrong Pick
Ty Simpson got a lot of attention during the 2025 college football season, but his production profile raises big concerns for a team that can't afford to miss on a top pick. In 2025, Simpson only completed 64.5% of his passes and averaged 7.5 yards per attempt. These are good numbers, but they don't show the kind of elite statistical dominance that would make it worth spending a top pick on a quarterback in a year when there aren't many quarterbacks available.
His 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions during the regular season showed that there is promise but there has been instances where the level of competition became too much for a quarterback with only 15 career starts. More importantly, Simpson is expected to take two to three years to develop, which means Arizona would be wasting time on a QB that could potentially not pan out. Why draft a project when the 2027 class has ready-to-use franchise players? The Cardinals don't need a quarterback who will sit and learn for two seasons; they need playmakers on defense.
Why Carson Beck Doubles Down on the Same Mistake
Carson Beck gives us a different but equally bad situation. After a rough season at Georgia in 2024 and then moving to Miami, Beck's numbers got better in 2025. He completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns. However, his 12 interceptions and a well-known durability issue after injuries throughout his career make people wonder if he can be a starter for a long time. Beck has real arm talent, but he still makes bad decisions when he's under pressure, and he's never shown he can carry a struggling college team on his back.
If Arizona drafted Beck in the first three rounds, it would be pointless because they already have Brissett and Minshew on the roster. It would also waste draft picks that the team really needs to fix a defense that ranked 29th in the NFL last season for points allowed and gave up 4.4 yards per carry on the ground. Last year, the offensive line let 3.8 sacks happen per game, making it one of the worst pass-blocking teams in the league. Drafting Beck doesn't help with either issue.
The Cardinals' next steps are not hard to figure out. In the 2026 Draft, focus on building up the offensive and defensive lines, and let Brissett and Minshew run the offense for a season of competition and development. Arizona will get a real franchise quarterback in the 2027 draft class, and they won't have to pay a premium for it. Ty Simpson and Carson Beck may have bright futures in the NFL, but not in the desert. Not yet. Not until the foundation is poured.
