NFL Hall of Fame Game Odds: Backups Look to Shine for Cardinals, Panthers

The NFL preseason officially begins on Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. The game will be held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Not surprisingly, the top quarterback won't start for either team, and the backups are the key players in this game. The secondary units are looking to lock in spots on the roster, and few starters on both sides of the ball will see the field.

The top Canadian sportsbooks have the Panthers as slight 1-point favorites, with the total set at 35.

Young Quarterbacks Take the Stage for Cardinals 

In the Hall of Fame game, the Cardinals will start rookie Carson Beck, who sits third on the depth chart. Jacoby Brissett led the team last season with 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight picks. He and the new addition, Gardner Minshew II, are not expected to play. Beck gets the nod over second-year QB Kedon Slovis, who had one pass last season for a two-yard loss with Arizona.

Beck, a third-round draft pick, has the upper hand so far in camp for the No. 3 quarterback job after leading Miami to the national championship game last season. He and  Slovis will battle in the preseason for the third-string role.

Panthers Will Get Long Look at King 

Carolina will start journeyman Kenny Pickett, who is 28 and has played with four teams. He is the projected backup behind Bryce Young, who is not expected to play in this game. Look for Haynes King to get a lot of snaps tonight. The rookie has been impressive in camp as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech.

No Cardinals Love in Canton 

The Cardinals made a big splash in the NFL Draft, taking running back Jeremiyah Love with the third pick. He was huge last season for Notre Dame, and while expected to top the RB depth chart for years to come, he will not play in this game.

The Panthers took tackle Monroe Freeling with the 19th pick in the draft, and he will not see action in the Hall of Fame Game either.

Third WR Spot Still Up for Grabs in Carolina

One of the big question marks for Carolina this season is who the third wide receiver will be. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker are the top two, and former first-round pick Xavier Legette and veteran David Moore are the top candidates for the third spot. Still, Jimmy Horn Jr. and John Metchie may move up the depth chart with solid preseasons. All of these players will get legit reps in the Hall of Fame Game, and the competition for the third wide receiver slot starts tonight.

Panthers Have Started off the 2026 Season on the Wrong Foot 

The Panthers will likely go deeper into their depth chart in this game, as they have had a horrible start to the preseason due to a rash of injuries. In the first two weeks of camp, second-year edge rusher Nic Scourton tore his ACL and rookie third-round draft pick WR Chris Brazzell II tore his LCL.

The team is also without the services of offensive tackles Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu and defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton, who are all out with injuries.

Mike LaFleur Makes Two for the Cardinals

The Cardinals signed Mike LaFleur to be their head coach in the offseason. His brother is Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, and Mike will make his NFL head coaching debut in the Hall of Fame Game. Now the LaFleurs are the second brother-brother duo in the NFL coaching ranks. Longtime Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is the new man in charge for the New York Giants, and Jim Harbaugh is heading into his third season at the helm of the Los Angeles Chargers.