Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals were able to secure an underrated part of their offense, reaching a three-year, $75 million extension with wide receiver Michael Wilson.
Given the market at receiver and Wilson's breakout season, that contract was good value in itself. Unfortunately, it still doesn't solve the Cardinals' biggest problem at the position: their lack of a clear-cut No. 1 option.
The strength of this Cardinals wide receiver room is clearly depth. Standout preseason performances from players on the bubble like Jalen Brooks and Simi Fehoko ultimately left Arizona no choice but to keep seven receivers on the initial 53-man roster -- a justifiable decision considering their ability to contribute on special teams.
But while the strength of Arizona's receivers lies in numbers, they still are in search of a true No. 1 option at the position.
Arizona Cardinals could still use a WR1 upgrade
The fact that they have arguably the best tight end in the league in Trey McBride helps mask some of those flaws, though the Cardinals' path to becoming a truly elite offense lies in eventually becoming more top-heavy.
The initial plan was for Marvin Harrison Jr. to be that missing piece, considering the steep No. 4 overall draft investment in the Ohio State product in 2024.
Through two seasons, that unfortunately hasn't been the case, though 2025 was limited to 12 games after suffering a series of injuries literally from head to toe (foot, heel, whatever).
Still, it was an underwhelming sophomore campaign for Cardinals fans holding onto any hope of a bounceback. In those 12 games, Harrison caught 41 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns. On a yards-per-game basis, it was more of the same production: 52.1 as a rookie compared to 50.7 last season.
Again, the silver lining was Wilson's end-of-season breakout. He also now has an established connection with projected starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, which the duo will look to build on in 2026.
But between Harrison's performance plateauing and Wilson trending upward, there's suddenly a legitimate debate over who is the WR1 in the desert. Perhaps that was already the case when Wilson filled in exceptionally well, taking over those duties at the end of the season, and Arizona's recent long-term commitment has only strengthened that case.
I don't necessarily expect one to emerge over the other in 2026. The passing game is largely run through McBride, and Arizona will look to find a more balanced offense by establishing a run game with Jeremiyah Love.
Despite the impressive depth at the position and a good decision to extend Wilson, that search for a clear-cut No. 1 option is going to remain a hurdle in Arizona's path to becoming an elite offense.
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