Gardner Minshew to get the quarterback call for the Cowboys as Cardinals rotate key starters

The Arizona Cardinals will give Gardner Minshew the spotlight when they host the Dallas Cowboys for the team’s lone home preseason game this year, according to the Cardinals’ own game-day release. The announcement also sets expectations for a broader rotation, with Mike LaFleur planning to play some starters while narrowing who gets action at quarterback.

Arizona’s offensive plan for the exhibition includes a clear distinction at the quarterback spot. The Cardinals’ release identifies Minshew as the quarterback who will get the call for the matchup, while stating that Jacoby Brissett will not be one of the quarterbacks to play in the game. That matters for how each quarterback’s evening will be measured, since preseason value is often tied to continuity with first-team roles, scripted looks, and the ability to operate within the week’s offensive emphasis.

The Cardinals’ preview further indicates that some notable players will not be available for this specific preseason setting. The release states that Beck and Love are sidelined for the game, which means the Cardinals will approach the week with a rotation that does not include those players. For the Cardinals, the immediate takeaway is that game reps, especially with starters and those fighting for established roles, will be redistributed among the players available.

Coach LaFleur’s comments in the Cardinals’ posting frame the preseason decision-making in practical terms. The organization says LaFleur will play some starters on Saturday night against Dallas, a common approach designed to balance two competing goals: evaluating execution against a strong opponent while managing workload in an exhibition environment. In this case, the quarterback plan appears to be aligned with that structure, with Minshew receiving the quarterback reps instead of Brissett.

For the Cowboys, the quarterback decision is similarly about how Dallas wants to use the game as a measuring stick. Facing Arizona in a preseason match can be valuable even without full-team deployment, but it becomes especially meaningful when one quarterback gets the primary responsibility for the bulk of the time. Minshew’s role suggests Dallas will be looking for a clean, readable offensive performance that can translate into training-camp priorities, from timing routes to third-down decision-making.

As preseason teams move toward final roster evaluations, decisions like who plays and who sits can quickly shape internal depth-chart momentum. For Arizona, the sidelining of Beck and Love, combined with the choice to keep Brissett out while turning to Minshew, means the team’s next on-field snapshot will come from a partially altered lineup. The game’s importance will land most heavily on how well the Cardinals’ available starters execute the planned package, and how convincingly the players receiving reps handle the opponent and tempo. Watch next for which rotational units earn additional practice attention after this exhibition, since preseason reps often become a bargaining chip for roster spots and regular-season roles.

A final note for context: preseason plans can still shift up to kickoff based on day-of conditions, and individual playing-time decisions are often finalized with only limited public detail. Still, the Cardinals have clearly outlined the quarterback direction and the general starter rotation, giving fans a workable framework for what to look for when Dallas and Arizona meet at Arizona’s home venue.