Adams (ankle) is officially questionable for Sunday's matchup in Seattle, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Lewis (knee) won't play Sunday against Denver.
Christensen (hamstring), who is on injured reserve, is questionable to play Sunday versus Denver.
Gaines (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 matchup versus the Seahawks, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Williams (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest in Seattle, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
Nolen (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's Week 9 tilt against the Seahawks, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Melton (knee) is questionable to play against Seattle on Sunday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Lee has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Denver due to a hamstring injury.
Phillips (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 battle against the Broncos.
Okereke (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the Broncos.
I have always liked backing rookie head coaches in their first preseason home game. While this game is not in Arizona, I prefer the Cardinals' quarterback rotation to what the Panthers will put out. Mike LaFleur’s debut as Arizona’s head coach introduces strong motivation to establish performance standards. Furthermore, Carson Beck offers starting-caliber collegiate accuracy (79% adjusted completion rate) across two to three quarters of action, giving Arizona a decisive advantage over Carolina's heavy reliance on undrafted rookie Haynes King. Carolina has already suffered several injuries, and its game plan is expected to be very vanilla. Underdogs in Canton are 8-2-1 against the spread since 2013 and have won five straight outright.
The Panthers are coming off a division title, and they've already suffered several significant injuries in training camp. Expect Dave Canales, who is 0-6 ATS in preseason games, to prioritize health. Kenny Pickett will start for the Panthers, then undrafted free-agent Haynes King will make some plays with his arm and legs. But the Cardinals have the edge with Carson Beck starting. The third-round pick, who led Miami to the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, struggled early in camp but turned a corner recently. His backup, Kedon Slovis, has extensive preseason experience. New coach Mike LaFleur has set an intense tone in camp. This game means more to the upstart Cardinals.
First-year NFL coaches tend to emphasize winning their preseason opener. Arizona’s Mike LaFleur, knowing the NFL Nation is watching his debut in the Hall of Fame game, will likely deploy regulars more than counterpart Dave Canales. Entering his third season, Canales went 2-1 SU in his debut summer, then 0-3 last year, with the defeats coming by a combined 46 points. As a member of the ultra-competitive NFC South, Carolina faces a multitude of big games down the road, so I don't expect them to worry about a preseason opener. Arizona will start rookie QB Carson Beck, but the Panthers intend to hold starter Bryce Young out, so it's not a huge concern.
Last time I saw Carson Beck in action, I nearly broke my hand slamming a table when he threw the game-clinching pick in the national title game for the Canes against Indiana. The third-round Arizona rookie will start Thursday's Hall of Fame Game exhibition opener opposite Carolina's Kenny Pickett. But it should be mostly Haynes King for the Panthers. I'd prefer Beck and Kedon Slovis for Arizona. Plus, the Cards are trying to build a winning culture under new coach Mike LaFleur, while Carolina has gone 1-5 combined in the two previous preseasons under Dave Canales. He might be in the "don't care" category with Andy Reid, Sean McVay and some others.
Football is finally back ... sort of. The Hall of Fame Game brings Mike LaFleur's head coaching debut for Arizona, and he's up against a guy who has not treated preseason games as important in his two years in Carolina. The Panthers scored two TDs and 23 total points in three preseason games last year, and UDFA Haynes King will see most of the action here. Even though he's generated buzz, I'll take the pairing of Carson Beck (a more talented rookie) and Kedon Slovis, who has done well in preseason work in the past. We might get an additional edge with LaFleur pressing for a win here on national TV in his debut knowing the uphill struggle he'll face once the season starts.
