From Pascal P:
"Thank you as always for the mailbag, two questions for me. We see every year the NFL release the strength of schedule ranking. Statistics seem to show that the teams with the hardest schedules rarely have a winning season. Does this ranking have any influence on the front office or the coaching staff? Also, we have for now two veteran QBs with a similar record and a rookie competing. If Carson Beck develops as the Cardinals hope will they still keep the two veterans? Will Jacoby Brissett have an advantage considering he led this team last year or will Gardner Minshew have the lead considering Brissett's inability to win and his contract discontent?"
1 - You take everything into account, but I don't think strength of schedule has any influence on the front office or coaching staff. The Cardinals play in arguably the toughest division in the league. Automatically, the strength of schedule is going to be high. I think if there is one reason a front office might focus on strength of schedule is because it is a tiebreaker for determining the draft order.
2 – It doesn't hurt to have veterans in the room. Teams typically keep three quarterbacks in the building. Often times you will see two quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad or all three on the 53. Could they part with one of them via trade? There are tons of factors before that becomes a scenario.
3 – LaFleur did not name any quarterback a starter going into camp. I'd anticipate Brissett has the edge because of his connection with the offensive weapons, but would not be shocked if Minshew is the one taking QB1 reps at the start of camp because he has been doing so since OTAs began.