The Cardinals locked in Michael Wilson for the long haul, and they did it with a deal that makes him one of the more notable pieces of their offensive future. Arizona gave the wide receiver a three-year extension worth $78.934 million, complete with an $18 million signing bonus, $47 million guaranteed, and $35 million fully guaranteed at signing.
The structure is loaded with protection for Wilson. His contract includes fully guaranteed salaries of $1.485 million in 2026 and $15.855 million in 2027, and $15.515 million of his $16.5 million 2028 salary is fully guaranteed. The deal also carries a $21.814 million salary in 2029, along with cap charges of $19.495 million in 2026, $20.945 million in 2027, $22.59 million in 2028, and $29.404 million in 2029.
Wilson made it clear he feels at home in Arizona and sees the bigger picture with the franchise. “That sense of loyalty, that just screams the type of player and person I want to be.”
In Los Angeles, Braden Fiske had a mixed reaction to the Rams’ move for Myles Garrett. He was glad the team landed Garrett, but the cost stung because it meant losing Jared Verse, his college teammate and close friend.
“ The surreal story of getting drafted to the same team, ” Fiske said, via Rams Wire. “ All that built up, it created such a good bond, a good relationship with each other that, yeah, when it did go down, that was honestly - yeah, you hear all the time that ‘business is business.’
Until the business directly affects you, you don’t really understand, so that was a direct hit of, ‘Oh yeah, it can happen to anybody.’ That hit pretty hard pretty quick.
My first instinct isn’t, ‘Oh, s-. We got Myles Garrett.’
My first instinct is like, ‘Oh, s-. We lost Jared.
That really sucks.’ Obviously, time heals and having Myles around and knowing Jared’s taking care of what he’s got to take care of in Cleveland, it’s one of those things that heals over time and we’re going to make it happen one way or another because at the end of the day, it’s still a business.”
Seattle’s Terrion Arnold situation has also drawn attention. The Seahawks signed the cornerback to a one-year deal in recent weeks even though he was facing felony kidnapping and armed robbery charges. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Seattle did its homework after the Lions released Arnold in June.
That background check included conversations with Alabama teammates Jalen Milroe and Robbie Ouzts. Breer also reported that GM John Schneider spoke with former Alabama coach Nick Saban, Lions GM Brad Holmes, and former Seahawks running back Leon Washington, whose son is Arnold’s half-brother.
Breer wrote that the Seahawks were satisfied with what they learned and were one of four teams in the mix for Arnold, along with the Texans, Saints, and Giants.
According to Breer, Seattle initially believed Arnold would be able to practice and play while his case was ongoing, but the NFL changed course after the move drew bad PR. Arnold was then placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
In Other News...
Rams Secondary Suddenly Has A New Question Before Week 1
The Rams secondary picked up an unexpected wrinkle just before the 2026 regular season opener, with cornerback Zech McPhearson no longer on the roster after a brief and quiet stint in Los Angeles. McPhearson was signed in August, then moved to injured reserve later that month as the team sorted through its late-summer depth chart at cornerback.
By early September, the Rams had terminated his contract with an injury settlement, closing the book on a signing that never really got going. The team has not said what injury McPhearson is dealing with or how the settlement was structured, leaving one more layer of uncertainty around a defensive back group that is trying to settle in before Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Puka Nacua Nears Rams Return With Big Questions Still Hanging
Puka Nacua appears to be on track to return for the Rams game against the 49ers next week, a welcome development for a team that has missed one of its most dynamic receivers. Sean McVay said Nacua has made progress while recovering from a core muscle injury, and the expectation around the building is that he should be available again soon.
Nacuas on-field comeback, though, comes with bigger questions still hanging over the situation. He remains involved in a civil lawsuit alleging off-field misconduct and is also waiting on possible NFL discipline, even as he has spoken publicly about spending the offseason focused on self-improvement and mental health support. For the Rams, it leaves his return to football paired with a layer of uncertainty that could linger well beyond next week. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Head Into Week 1 With A Lineup Problem Fans Feared
The Rams are heading into Week 1 with more uncertainty than anyone around the team wanted this close to a matchup with the 49ers. Los Angeles is still sorting through potential lineup changes on both sides of the ball, with the opener forcing the staff to think through how it would replace key pieces and keep the offense and protection plan intact if the roster looks different than expected.
A major part of the concern centers on Aaron Donald, who is traveling with the team but remains in a day-by-day evaluation process. Sean McVay also said the star defender could be limited to a snap count if he is cleared to go, which only adds to the challenge of getting the defense on the same page for its first real test of the season. [Read more 🡒]