Jacoby Brissett expected to lead Cardinals starters vs. Raiders in Thursday night game

The Arizona Cardinals are preparing a more prominent showing from their first-team offense in their upcoming Thursday night matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters on Tuesday that the Cardinals’ starters will play this week, with Jacoby Brissett set to be the quarterback taking the early reps.

The decision fits the preseason pattern of ramping up the depth chart once teams have had an opening glimpse of their quarterback groups. Last week’s Hall of Fame Game, Arizona used a different quarterback in the initial sequence, and the coaching staff’s preference to identify a clear “starter on the field” now is part of that evaluation process.

According to the report, rookie Carson Beck was the first quarterback up in the Cardinals’ participation in the Hall of Fame Game. This week, the plan shifts, at least at the top of the rotation, toward Brissett with the expectation that “Brissett and company” will be the early group against the Raiders.

For the Cardinals, the practical value of that approach is twofold. First, Brissett’s work with the starters gives the team a clearer sense of how its key offensive pieces align in live game speed, especially the timing between quarterback and playmakers. Second, it provides the coaching staff a more controlled baseline for comparing the performance of subsequent quarterback reps later in the night or in later segments of the exhibition.

For the Raiders, the matchup is another chance to evaluate the defensive alignment they want to see when the opponent brings out its more established offensive core. While preseason games do not mirror regular-season stakes, they often reveal whether teams can hold their assignment discipline when the other sideline is sending its best players onto the field early.

What to watch next is how Arizona manages the “starters” portion of the game. Preseason plans can change based on how drives and communication look, and teams frequently adjust rep counts late in the session. Still, the explicit confirmation that starters are expected to play this week makes Thursday’s quarterback execution a focal point for both teams.