It’s always fun, and we love to talk positively about Michael Wilson on Raising Zona. After all, the recognition is absolutely deserved, as Wilson broke out in an increased role in 2025, which had to do with him getting more targets in the absence of Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Cardinals were officially eliminated from playoff contention in Week 13, but that didn’t keep fans from watching. In fact, when it came to the Cardinals playing carefree football after their elimination, that was the exact time when we saw Michael Wilson emerge as the team’s second-best pass catcher behind Trey McBride.
However, Wilson’s production didn’t exactly get the credit it deserved, and it was all because of the three-win season that Arizona endured. But the recognition is beginning to take a turn, as one ESPN analyst finally gave the 26-year-old his flowers.
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“Of course, the good news for the Cardinals is that Wilson had a breakout season when Harrison wasn't available. Wilson averaged 2.5 yards per route run across 293 routes without Harrison on the field in 2025, identical to what George Pickens and Nico Collins produced over their full seasons. Wilson's average fell to 0.9 yards per route run with Harrison on the field, which was Malik Washington and Cedric Tillman territory. We would expect Wilson to get better with Harrison on the sidelines, but that's a preposterous on/off split. For a player who hadn't been more than a tertiary target over his first two seasons, seeing whether Wilson can produce with Harrison on the field -- and if Harrison can live up to his predraft hype -- should be one of the more fascinating reasons to watch the Cardinals in 2026.”
The only thing Wilson needs to prove is that he can be productive when the entire receiving core is healthy, and Bill Barnwell made that 100% clear in his column.
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