The Arizona Cardinals released their initial 53-man roster following Sunday's cutdown day. While there weren't too many surprises, one immediate takeaway was the number of players rostered at each position, particularly wide receivers.
The Cardinals kept three quarterbacks, three running backs, three tight ends, and seven receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Kendrick Bourne, Devin Duvernay, Reggie Virgil, Simi Fehoko, and Jalen Brooks all survived.
Cardinals enter 2026 season with a deep WR room
Harrison and Wilson were the locks, though it's fair to question who's the legitimate WR1 in Arizona this season. What has become clear this offseason is the WR3, with Bourne already appearing to be a savvy offseason signing.
Had Arizona decided to keep just six receivers more conventionally, that would've meant three final spots were between Duvernay, Virgil, Fehoko, and Brooks. Duvernay seemed safe due to his special-teams role. Virgil was a fifth-round rookie already outperforming his draft value, meaning Arizona would have no reason to move on from him so soon.
Credit both Fehoko and Brooks for making it impossible for the Cardinals to narrow it down to six.
Simi Fehoko and Jalen Brooks forced the Cardinals' hand
Arizona was awarded an extra preseason game thanks to their Hall of Fame Game matchup against the Carolina Panthers. In that four-game stretch, Fehoko recorded 11 receptions for 164 receiving yards and, most importantly, four touchdowns. He carved out somewhat of a touchdown specialist role, with the Cardinals able to utilize his 6-foot-4 frame in the red zone.
Meanwhile, Brooks led all Arizona receivers with 222 yards in those four games. He brought in 15 of his 17 targets, proving to be a reliable option and a deep threat depending on what was required of him at that particular moment.
Both can contribute on special teams as well, and that end-of-roster flexibility seemed to be a high priority in the Cardinals' final roster cuts.
In reality, these six or seventh receivers aren't going to play a significant role in the offense. Finding ways to provide niche value, as Fehoko has done with his touchdowns and special teams contributions, is exactly how you separate yourself to land a spot. It's also how Arizona can get away with having so many players at the same position, thanks to their ability to impact the game in other facets.
While the Cardinals' 53-man roster could change before Week 1 against the Chargers, they shouldn't touch this wide receiver room. It's a great group heading into September, thanks to underrated depth from players who stood out in preseason and survived the chopping block.
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