Michael Wilson was one of the most underrated wide receivers in the NFL in 2025. His 1,006 receiving yards ranked 18th among all pass catchers, ahead of guys like A.J. Brown, Alec Pierce and Jaylen Waddle. He also tacked on seven receiving touchdowns to his ledger. He had a fantastic year and deserved every cent of the three-year, $75 million extension he just signed with the Arizona Cardinals this week.
The #AZCardinals’ deal for WR Michael Wilson is a 3-year, $75M extension with a maximum value of $78M, per me and @AdamSchefter.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2026
He gets $47M guaranteed in a deal negotiated by Andrew Kessler at Athletes First. pic.twitter.com/lookHJBzL6
Now that Wilson, who was entering the final year of his deal, is locked in for the foreseeable future, let's dive into some other players the Cardinals should be eager to extend.
OL Paris Johnson Jr.
The Cardinals used the No. 6 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft on Paris Johnson Jr. in the same year they drafted Wilson, hoping he'd stabilize their offensive line, and he's done just that as their left tackle. Johnson has given the Cardinals Pro Bowl-caliber production when he's been healthy, and since he's only 25 years old, he should have many more good years left.
The Cardinals don't have to extend him now, as his fifth-year option was exercised to keep him under control through next season, but they should. Prices for players at premium positions only go up the longer you wait. Ensuring he's locked in to protect whomever the Cardinals commit to as their next long-term quarterback should be Monti Ossenfort's top priority.
LB Mack Wilson Sr.
The Cardinals allowed more than 27 points just once and more than 23 points only twice in their first eight games last season. In their final nine games, the Cardinals allowed 40 or more points four times and 37 or more points six times. Guess which set of games Mack Wilson Sr. played in? Hint: It wasn't the bad half.
I'm not here to say Wilson's season-ending rib injury suffered after Week 9 is the only reason the Cardinals' defense went from decent to pathetically awful, but he sure played a major role. He had 60 tackles, six passes defended, a forced fumble and an interception in those eight games, proving to be one of the most underrated defensive players in the NFL. He's 28 years old, so he should have quite a bit more left in the tank. It'd be a mistake for the Cardinals to allow him to enter free agency after this season, which would happen if they don't give him an extension.
CB Garrett Williams
Garrett Williams was one of the NFL's best cornerbacks in 2024, finishing tied for third at the position with Trent McDuffie with an 82.0 PFF grade. He ranked ahead of guys like Derek Stingley Jr., Marlon Humphrey and Quinyon Mitchell. Is that good? And while he came back to Earth a bit last season, 2024 was only two years ago. Who's to say he can't get back to those heights?
I understand those who might be unwilling to give Williams an extension. He was limited to just 10 games in 2025 and saw his PFF grade plummet to 62.5, good for 58th out of 114 cornerbacks. He also comes with clear injury concerns: He tore his ACL before he was drafted by the Cardinals in 2023, and his 2025 campaign ended with an Achilles tear. With that being said, the time might be now to get him locked up at a team-friendly rate. If Williams comes back healthy, he, alongside Will Johnson, can lead this secondary for a long time.
WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is easily the most controversial name on this list because he simply hasn't done much at the NFL level. The Cardinals drafted him No. 4 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, expecting him to be one of the best receivers in the sport, but he had an up-and-down rookie year and finished his second season with just 608 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 12 games last year. Wilson clearly outplayed him and should be considered the team's No. 1 receiver.
With that being said, Harrison is supremely talented and, at just 24 years of age, possesses immense upside. We've seen flashes of brilliance from Harrison, but consistency has been lacking. Some of that is on him, but he's also dealt with subpar quarterback play. The Cardinals can't extend him until after this upcoming season, but assuming he shows even a bit of improvement, it'd make sense to extend him before he truly breaks out into stardom. He still has that ceiling, even if he hasn't shown it fully at this level yet.
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