Stars Puka Nacua, George Pickens, Drake London and Chris Olave top of the list of receivers who are unsigned beyond 2026. Not to be forgotten, the Cardinals’ Michael Wilson is also on track to reach free agency in a year. Wilson could be a candidate for a contract extension, but he isn’t focused on the business side of the game (via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
“Truthfully that whole situation isn’t going to dictate my offseason,” WIlson said. “That’s not something that I want to show up to the building with it on my mind. I don’t want that to affect how I show up every single day because ultimately that stuff is going to take care of itself.”
Since coming off the board in the third round of the 2023 draft (No. 94 overall), Wilson has started 38 of 46 games with the Cardinals. His production has taken clear steps forward along the way.
During a 13-game rookie season, Wilson lined up on the outside on approximately 74% of snaps and caught 38 of 58 targets for 565 yards and three touchdowns. The Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall in 2024, and Wilson’s slot usage has climbed over 30% since then. With Harrison in the fold, Wilson finished a 16-game second season with 47 receptions on 71 targets, 548 yards and four scores.
Last year was the first 17-game season for Wilson, whose numbers skyrocketed. With quarterback Kyler Murray at the helm for the first five weeks, Wilson caught just eight of 18 targets for a meager 52 yards and a score. Murray went down with a season-ending foot injury, leaving journeyman Jacoby Brissett to finish 2025 as the Cardinals’ starter.
Wilson’s output started trending upward once Brissett took the reins, and it reached its zenith in a 15-catch, 185-yard outburst in a Week 11 loss to the 49ers. Harrison was out that day with appendicitis, leading Brissett to target Wilson 18 times. Wilson went on to accrue double-digit targets four more times late in the season (Harrison missed three of those games). He chipped in two more games of at least 10 receptions and 100-plus yards apiece. In all, the 6-foot-2, 213-pounder pulled in 78 of 126 targets for 1,006 yards and seven TDs.
The Cardinals released Murray, now a member of the Vikings, and are expected to keep Brissett as their starter to open the season. That will depend in part on whether the Cardinals and Brissett settle a contract dispute. If that happens, Wilson would stand to benefit after forming a rapport with Brissett last year. On the other hand, he has never worked with the Cardinals’ second- and third-string QBs, free agent pickup Gardner Minshew and third-round rookie Carson Beck.
Wilson is also dealing with a new coaching staff led by the offensive-minded Mike LaFleur, who replaced Jonathan Gannon. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and wide receivers coach Drew Terrell were around for Wilson’s breakout 2025 campaign, but Nathaniel Hackett and Tony Sorrentino are now in those respective roles. The changes are fine with Wilson, who said he’s “excited every day to come to work” under LaFleur (via Arizona Sports).
Wilson’s comments on LaFleur suggest he is open to an extension. It’s also worth noting that general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke glowingly of the 26-year-old at the Combine in February.
“Michael is everything we want in our program to be about,” said Ossenfort (via Urban).
Ossenfort’s GM tenure in Arizona has been light on positives since his hiring in 2023, but making Wilson part of his first draft class has paid dividends. It remains to be seen if Ossenfort will still be with the Cardinals next offseason, as a fourth straight sub-.500 campaign could lead to his ouster. Regardless, the Cardinals are projected to enter 2027 with the NFL’s second-most cap space. That will give them ample room to give Wilson a raise if there is mutual interest. In the meantime, Wilson is on track to collect $3.92MM in the final year of his rookie deal.