Gardner Minshew Torn UCL Puts Carson Beck in Line

Gardner Minshew got hit as he threw on the last snap of the first half in Seattle, Dante Fowler crashing in on a strip-sack, and then he went out and played the whole second half. Now the Cardinals are bracing for the worst. Minshew is seeking more opinions to confirm a torn UCL in his throwing elbow that will likely require season-ending surgery, NFL Network and ESPN reported Monday.

Arizona is 3-6 and last in the NFC West, and this would be its third starting quarterback in three weeks. Jacoby Brissett started the first eight games before he was traded to Baltimore on Friday. Minshew had just taken over and thrown for 354 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in a game and a half. Rookie Carson Beck is next, with the Rams coming to Glendale on Sunday.

A Rookie Debut Against Myles Garrett

Beck would be the first quarterback from the 2026 draft class to start a game, ahead of first-rounders Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. The problem is that he has barely played. His only game action came in the Hall of Fame game in August, when he went 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown, and injuries kept him off the field the rest of the preseason.

His first look will be a Rams front with Myles Garrett, who came off injured reserve and had three sacks on Sunday. Mike LaFleur already sounded like a coach preparing for it when he said there was a “possibility, for sure” that Minshew would miss the game.

Josh Johnson Joins Team No. 15

Arizona needs a backup, and it went with someone LaFleur knows. The Cardinals are signing 40-year-old Josh Johnson off the Bengals’ practice squad. He played three games for the 2021 Jets when LaFleur was their offensive coordinator, and Arizona will be his 15th NFL team in 14 seasons. He has started 11 games in his career.

Beck will also be throwing to a gutted receiver room. Michael Wilson is out for the season with a neck fracture, which leaves tight end Trey McBride as the one proven target. McBride caught seven of eight targets in Seattle, and a rookie quarterback making his first start tends to look for the safest option on the field.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean higher on Trey McBride receptions against the Rams. Beck’s only NFL action is one preseason game, Wilson is gone, and the Rams pass rush will force quick throws. If Minshew’s second opinions come back better than expected and he is cleared to start, keep the McBride lean but expect more downfield shots.