Carson Beck among Cardinals’ big winners from Hall of Fame game

CANTON, Ohio — Just about everyone in the football world got a good, hard look at rookie quarterback Carson Beck running the show in Thursday’s Hall of Fame game loss to the Carolina Panthers.

And he didn’t disappoint.

Looking calm, cool, collected and confident throughout his more than two quarters of work, the rookie executed just about everything that was asked of him.

He put the ball in places where only the receiver had a chance at snagging it. He showed off his ability to go through his reads, hang in the pocket and deliver.

It’s the preseason, but Beck looked like he had been there before.

But it was the adjustment he made midgame when linking up with Jalen Brooks that showed his mental game.

Cardinals rookie Carson Beck on the midgame adjustment he made with WR Jalen Brooks before connecting on the deep ball (that JB somehow hung onto despite the hit) ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yovIB5c3jc

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 7, 2026

“We had thrown a dagger out to him earlier, and he made a great catch,” Beck said postgame. “Put his body between the defender and that’s something that we say if you’re between the ball and the defender, like we’re going to make those catches. We’re confident in our guys to make those catches, and obviously he makes a great play on that, but then I’m looking back at kind of the clips of how they’re playing it.

“I was like, ‘Let’s run a pump off of it.’ and I’ll be damned, we call it and (Bam Knight) picks up the backer blitzing perfectly and I just step and let it fly and he makes a great play in contact. That was a fun play for sure.”

As for the other winners from Thursday night’s festivities? Let’s dive in:

The other end of the Carson Beck-Jalen Brooks connection

Brooks and Beck were in sync throughout their time together on the field on Thursday.

Pacing the team in receiving yards with 99 on three catches (four targets), Brooks was all about the chunk plays.

But it was his ability to hang onto the rock on his 49-yard catch that really stood out.

Carson Beck to Jalen Brooks. WOW.@ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/VjnMEP2mIQ

— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026

I still don’t know how he hung onto that.

“I thought Jalen did everything that he’s shown back in Glendale,” head coach Mike LaFleur said postgame. “He strung together really good OTAs but then he piggybacked that with the good (training camp practice blocks). Wasn’t shocked at what we saw out of him today.”

Bam Knight picks up where he left off in training camp

Cardinals running back Bam Knight has been a standout throughout training camp, highlighted by his vision and shiftiness.

He entered Thursday’s action listed as RB5 behind Trey Benson. After the fact, that’s probably not (and shouldn’t be) the case.

Totaling 60 yards on 12 carries, Knight — who dealt with full body cramps midgame — looked solid splitting reps with Corey Kiner.

Knight’s ability to impact the game both as a running back and special teamer could end up being the deciding factors when it comes to 53-man roster cuts and if Arizona keeps four backs.

That’s looking like the case after Thursday’s showing.

Chase Bisontis takes a big step forward

It’s been a mixed bag for rookie offensive lineman Chase Bisontis this camp.

He’s flashed some during 1-on-1 work but still has plenty to glean from the coaching staff as he works his way up the depth chart.

On Thursday, though, he was easily one of the best offensive lineman on the field.

Beck’s deep bombs to Brooks were in part because of Bisontis locking down his assignment, which included making a Panthers defender look silly deep in Arizona’s own territory.

Watch No. 57:

What a throw by Carson Beck!@ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/ai2A4lm7z0

— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026

His next-level mauling to open up the lane for Knight in the run game was exactly the type of movement you want to see out of someone many expect to start sooner than later.

Bisontis (57) climbing and delivering pop on the LB pic.twitter.com/K23Ux572DH

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 7, 2026

“I did think there was some good movement in the run game,” LaFleur said while adding he needed to review the tape. “I thought particularly on the front side of some of our mid-zone, some of our open-side runs.”

Big man coming through!

It’s no secret the 6-foot-1, 340-pound Andrew Billings is one of the biggest dudes on the football field.

But it wasn’t hard to miss the nose tackle for another reason: his play.

Earning the sack is one thing. Absolutely bulldozing opponents (and a teammate) is another.

Billings got after it, making his case heard as he competes for playing time with Roy Lopez.

“When I did peek at it, you saw him kinda wreaking havoc between those A gaps,” LaFleur said. “Let’s be real, that’s what he’s here to do. It’s first and second down. It’s those run situations. If he has to transition to a pass rusher in those situations, so be it. It’s a big body. So you think about him and Roy in there, I feel like we got a good little one-two punch on the inside.”

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