Former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson didn't have to wait long before finding a new team.
Shortly after being waived by the Cardinals, Wilson was claimed by the New England Patriots with just two weeks left in the season. The Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos reportedly submitted a claim for him, too.
The move ended Wilson's short stint in the desert after former general manager Steve Keim made him the team's fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Wilson's play could (at best) be described as rocky in 2023, having been benched by new head coach Jonathan Gannon and not playing one defensive snap over the last four weeks of his tenure.
He sure sounds glad to be elsewhere.
"I was excited," said Wilson when he found out he was being picked up by New England. The Patriots have just one more win on the year than Arizona.
"It was one of the best things to happen to me in my entire life. I just knew what type of coaches I was going to, what type of organization I was going to, the history, that's exactly what I've been looking for my life in the NFL. So I finally got it, I'm gonna make the most of it."
When asked to describe what the differences between Arizona's defensive scheme and New England's, Wilson said: "I think it's just a lot more established for the cornerback position, made more for cornerbacks to make plays. As you can see, the cornerbacks that have came here have done a really great job so I'm excited about that and I'm ready to see what I can do in this system."
The Patriots rank near the bottom of the league in completion percentage allowed to quarterbacks (66.1%) and are one of ten teams in the NFL to not have double-digit interceptions (nine).
Wilson was also asked to sum up his time in Arizona:
"I feel like I put in the work since Day 1 in Arizona. I feel like I gave that organization, the fans everything I could. I left with no regrets and thankful for everything they did for me. I wish them well moving forward."
It was a move that was best for both sides, according to Gannon:
“We feel good about the guys in the room. Respect Marco. He handled himself like a pro, but I feel good about moving forward," said Gannon after the move was made official.
“There’s (only) so many spots, so to get some guys up and playing and the roster construction of all that, we just felt like it was best for the team for this week moving forward.”
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