While discussing the receiver group with the Arizona Cardinals, all of the chatter was supposed to be about first-round draft pick Marvin Harrison, Jr. After all, before last season, he had been the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. When a player is taken that high, he is supposed to already have some accolades in the league.
But that hasn’t happened with Harrison. No Pro Bowls, devoid of any All-Pro status, and not even selected for the NFL All-Rookie Team.
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The 2025 season began with Kyler Murray as the starting quarterback. He injured his ankle in Week 5 against the winless Tennessee Titans. In the following game, career backup Jacoby Brissett was inserted as the new starter.
That one change altered Wilson’s career.
With Murray as the starter in the first five games, Wilson had 18 targets, eight catches for 51 yards, and one touchdown. Those would be average numbers for a single contest, but these numbers are for all five games – combined. Needless to say, Murray did not have a good relationship with Wilson.
The Cardinals’ offense was stagnant with Murray leading the offense. He averaged 192 passing yards a game. Brissett came in and ignited that side of the ball. He tossed for 320 yards in his first start. He threw for 452 yards in Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers. At season’s end, Brissett passed for 249 yards or greater nine times, including four games of 300+.
And while his favorite target was also Murray’s fav pass catcher, TE Trey McBride, Brissett’s second go-to guy was Wilson.
Wilson had his best career season in 2025. He played in 17 games, and once he began to hook up with Brissett successfully, he started the final 13 games of the schedule. Wilson finished with 126 targets. Yeah, really. Second only to McBride’s 169. Wilson also had 1,006 yards with a 12.9 yards per catch average and scored seven times. Along with being one of Brissett’s favorite targets, Harrison had an injury-plagued season, which redirected his targets to Wilson and Greg Dortch.
As the season finished, the offense’s passing game plan was basically McBride’s 1,239 yards and Wilson’s. It became the first pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Cardinals’ history since 2015.
Wilson came to Arizona in 2023 as a third-round draft pick out of Stanford. His 40 time was 4.58 with an outstanding vertical jump of 37.5.”
He signed a four-year deal in 2023 for $5.34 million. 2026 is his final year, and he will be paid $3.92 million. This is the first year that Wilson can sign an extension. When Harrison was injured and suddenly a throwing QB was under center, the Cardinals all of a sudden realized they had the possibility of a true WR1 under their roof. With not only his production hike last year, the front office realized they needed to offer Wilson an extension and keep him under wraps. And if they do this now, it won’t become a distraction. Plus, what would occur if Wilson’s production explodes? Right now, he is the cheapest he is going to be.
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So, GM Monti Ossenfort has started the process of contract negotiations with Wilson. This past season, Wilson checked all the boxes. And with his extension talks, he isn’t being the problem child. He has shown up for every OTA and minicamp. Anything the new coaching staff has asked of him, he has tried his best to accomplish it.
After all, it’s a new system. It’s basically a new coaching staff. There’s a new OC. The terminology is different.
Ossenfort told Tucson.com:
“Hopefully he’s here (with the Cardinals) for a long time.”
What is odd about this situation is quite a few things. For one, Wilson hasn’t demanded anything. Secondly, he isn’t holding out, and he isn’t saying he won’t play unless he makes bank. In fact, he seems more focused on having another productive year than adding zeros to his salary.
Wilson stated:
“I need to replicate that season and build upon that. Ultimately, that stuff is gonna take care of itself. That whole situation isn’t gonna dictate my offseason. This is a state where I could see myself living for the rest of my life.”
Showing up for every team session is critical, especially for the offensive players. New head coach Mike LaFleur’s playbook needs those physical reps that can’t be learned by studying. LaFleur is instilling a new set of fundamentals. Blocking schemes are different. The short passing game and reliance on a strong run game are coming.
Wilson has realized that everyone will need the time to implement this new offense.
He added:
“I like the motions that we utilize and how that affects the run and pass game. (LaFleur) gives us enough rules, but then allows natural ability, playmaking ability, and natural athleticism and football wherewithal to kind of take over. He understands football is controlled chaos and an uncontrolled environment.”
It is assumed that Ossenfort will want to ink Wilson to a long-term deal. Whether that is before training camp or during is the only unanswered question.
