The Arizona Cardinals are arriving at an intersection and need to know what to do next. WR Michael Wilson’s rookie deal is coming to a close. The 2026 season will be the last year on the four-year $5.34 million contract he signed back in 2023 as a third-round rookie. So, what’s next?
Will the Cardinals sign him to an extension this year? If so, what are the terms and contract length? Will he get bank? Does he deserve a huge contract?
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That all depends on who you talk to. And it also depends on what happens this upcoming season.
Wilson just completed Year 3 of his contract this past season. Everyone knows that the third year is the time for players to bust out from being “that young dude” and start being productive. Which Wilson was.
He played in all 17 games with 13 starts. He had a tremendous amount of targets with 126, and caught 78 balls for 1,006. He scored 7 touchdowns, converted 51 first downs, averaged 59.2 yards per game, and had a 12.9 average yards per reception. Wilson’s YAC was 273, and he had a single drop.
Okay, so he had a good year. But was it great? Outstanding? Was he a game changer?
His numbers are just average. Are we seeing this right? Is there anything in his stats from 2025 that really wows you? That keep a defensive coordinator up at night?
Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort has been hinting around that the Cardinals certainly want to retain Wilson’s services going forward. And they should. But, for how much? Is the franchise going to throw $20 million a year his way for finding the end zone seven times and catching 78 balls?
Wilson is eligible for a contract extension right now. Today. He probably carries around an ink pen with him at all times, waiting for the call to his agent. Would the Cardinals give him a long-term extension?
Ossenfort’s attitude is almost what happened this time last year when the subject of TE Trey McBride’s extension was a hot topic. But that’s not really apples-to-apples if we are being totally honest.
McBride had 169 targets this year. 126 receptions. 1,239 yards. Go on? YAC of 583. 11 TDs, 63 first downs converted, almost 73 yards per game average, ranked #2 in the league in receptions and tied for the #1 ranking in total receiving touchdowns, and he was named to his second straight Pro Bowl. Oh yeah, forgot to mention his greatest accolade: He was voted First Team All-Pro.
Yeah, it just isn’t the same conversation whatsoever, now, is it? Keep in mind, McBride had 1,146 yards the year before and almost 900 the year before that. So, McBride’s production isn’t simply a one-off. It’s what he does. He is an elite player at his position, and he is consistent.
Wilson had a great season, so there is no knocking that. The big question remains: Can he do it again? This year? And perhaps the Cardinals should give that extension question a big “let’s see” before diving into the deep end with heavy money bags strapped on.
Let’s see what Ossenfort had to say about the subject:
“Everybody’s in different situations. Here’s what I’d say about Michael. Michael had an outstanding year for us. He’s a great person, he works, he leads, and he produces on the field. Michael’s about everything we want our program to be about, and hopefully he’s here for a long time.”
Which is exactly what every Cardinals fan wants to hear from the man who structures the paychecks. We want Wilson to stay, produce, and capture some Pro Bowl hardware on his own. But place a pin in that thought until later this year, say, around Week 12.
New head coach Mike LaFleur is an offensive mind from a very good system that works. Arizona is going to look a lot like the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams and be successful. Things needed to be changed in Tempe, and already the offensive line has promise, the running back room is better, a good third receiver has been brought in, and the consistent field goal kicker is back in-house. Plus, every round in the upcoming NFL draft, the Cardinals will draft high.
This new offense won’t flip overnight, but it is on the menu. And the main players are getting noticed with McBride, Marv Harrison, Kendrick Bourne, and Wilson. The offense needs Harrison to remain healthy and focus on gripping the ball. It needs Wilson to treat 2025 as a stepping stone to an even bigger year. It depends on Bourne to take over the slot and get those nasty third-and-long situations and move the chains.
What really helped Wilson last year was when QB Jacoby Brissett was inserted. Under QB Kyler Murray in the first five games, Wilson had receptions of 1, 1, 1, 3, and 2. With Brissett, he and Wilson got on a hot streak. Against the 49ers in Week 11, Wilson had 18 targets with 15 catches for 185 yards. The following week: 15 targets, 10 receptions, 118 yards. And it just continued: 10 targets, 16, 7, 11, and 8.
At last year’s Combine, Ossenfort made it clear that McBride deserved an extension and a big payday.
Ossenfort stated:
“(McBride) is certainly a guy that we would love to extend. He absolutely is a franchise cornerstone. Trey is a guy who does everything the right way. He’s a good leader for us on and off the field. He works, he prepares, and he produces. Trey is definitely a guy that we want to continue to be in our program and continue to see what he can do for us offensively.”
And Ossenfort kept his thoughts true to his word when he inked McBride to the largest tight end contract in the history of the league with a four-year $76 million agreement. That deal was signed in April. What did McBride do after that? You already read what he produced in 2025. He went out and balled to show that he was worth the effort and consideration the franchise placed upon him. He kicked ass and earned his money.
That is what we want for Wilson. It is already being viewed that Wilson is the WR1 instead of Harrison. He ranked #20 in the league in the receiver category, second on the team. Harrison ranked #90, but his second season was marred by injuries throughout the year.
One can only have the image of this Cardinals aerial attack with a healthy Harrison, Wilson balling out in order to get a new deal, McBride doing what McBride does, Bourne getting his catches, Jame Conner’s running and soft hands, plus the addition of RB Tyler Allgeier.
Wilson is a really good receiver. Everyone will welcome another good season, and hopefully, he can elevate his game. And if he wants that huge second contract, this is the time to step up and get his money the same way McBride did.
It is no secret that Wilson will put the work in every day. The organization and fanbase are enamored with him. Everyone is ready to build this franchise up and become a winner again, with Wilson a key chess piece.
The team knows that if they want to keep Wilson, they will have to offer him a long-term deal sometime this year. They could use the transition or franchise tags on him, but everyone prefers to get him settled and be done with it.
Now, it’s all up to him. His contract year is coming up, and he will need to prove that he is worthy of a WR1’s money. It is already on Ossenfort’s mind.
Wilson knows his opportunity is going to come this year, and when it does, he needs to seize it.
