Cards Unlikely To Extend Michael Wilson?

The Cardinals are 11 days away from opening their season, leaving time to reach an agreement with Wilson. That is unlikely to happen, though, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Not only that, but sources told Fowler that Wilson is “likely” to reach free agency next March. If that proves to be the case, the 2023 third-round pick from Stanford could be going into his last season in the desert.

Wilson was a steady contributor during his first two seasons, a 29-game span in which he combined for 85 receptions, 1,113 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 213-pounder then got off to a glacial start last year with just eight catches on 18 targets, 52 yards and a score in the Cardinals’ first five games. Quarterback Kyler Murray was at the helm during that period, but he suffered what ended up as season-ending foot injury in early October.

As soon as Jacoby Brissett took over as the Cardinals’ starter in Week 6, Wilson began showing signs of life. After four straight games with at least four catches and between 34 and 61 yards, Wilson’s production exploded in a Week 11 loss to the 49ers. He hauled in a jaw-dropping 15 of 18 targets for 185 yards. Wilson followed that up with a 10-catch, 15-target, 118-yard effort in a Week 12 loss to the Jaguars. Two weeks later, Wilson racked up 11 grabs, 142 yards and a pair of scores in a loss to the Rams. He finished the year with 75 receptions, 126 targets and seven TDs in 17 games.

As impressive as Wilson was with Brissett, it is worth noting all three of his 100-yard efforts came when receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was unavailable. Harrison went through a highly disappointing second year in which he missed five games, but the Cardinals drafted him fourth overall with the expectation he would be their long-term No. 1 wideout.

Harrison, who hails from the Ohio State receiver factory, has not delivered on the extreme hype he garnered coming out of school. However, if he stays healthy and lives up to his potential this year, the Cardinals may push to extend him next offseason. At the very least, they will exercise Harrison’s fifth-year option for 2028 if he shows obvious progress this season.

Harrison’s presence doesn’t necessarily rule out an extension for Wilson, but the team already has superstar tight end Trey McBride on a four-year, $76MM pact. The Cardinals also have rookie running back Jeremiyah Love in the fold on a fully guaranteed deal worth $53MM-plus. Extending both Wilson and Harrison in the next couple of years would mean four skill-position players eating up a significant amount of cap space. There may not be enough touches to go around, which is something general manager Monti Ossenfort is likely considering.

If Wilson has another quality season and then hits the market, he will no doubt be in line for an enormous raise. Fellow 2027 free agents-to-be Rams’ Puka Nacua and the Cowboys’ George Pickens are clearly better than Wilson, but it would not be a surprise to see at least one of them sign a multiyear contract or get franchise tagged before the market opens. That could increase the demand for Wilson and boost his earning power. In the meantime, in what could be his last year as a Cardinal, Wilson will hope the connection he formed with Brissett in 2025 carries over.