Bulk of Cardinals starters not expected to play in preseason finale vs. Raiders

The Arizona Cardinals will not roll out many of their starters (if any) for this Saturday’s preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Gannon said Thursday it will be similar to last week’s loss against Denver, in which nearly all of Arizona’s starters took a seat.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said the plan for the starters this week will be similar to last week against Denver.

Don’t expect many (if any) to get some run this weekend. pic.twitter.com/siXTnkNkVF

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 21, 2025

The only projected starters that got some run were cornerback Will Johnson and inside linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, two newcomers to the franchise in 2025.

For Johnson, it was again a learning experience after getting dinged for his second penalty in as many weeks.

Instead, the final exhibition will serve more as a showcase for those fighting for final roster spots ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man cuts. A lot of eyes will be on the “hot spots” on the roster.

“The game’s a big piece. It absolutely is,” Gannon said Thursday. “I think the guys that are playing, they’re playing for roster spots. They know that. They’re excited for the opportunity and they’ll play well.”

Despite not seeing the starters on Saturday, this year’s exhibition slate still saw more snaps from them than in previous seasons under the current regime.

In the team’s preseason-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the majority of Cardinals starters — save for Calais Campbell and Josh Sweat — turned in two series of work.

It was a mixed bag for quarterback Kyler Murray, who moved the ball efficiently but did throw a red zone interception on Arizona’s opening drive.

The defense gave up a touchdown after a Greg Dortch fumble on the opening kick resulted in a red zone look for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs but forced a punt against the second-team offense the following drive.

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