Through two preseason games, it’s a brand new look for the Arizona Cardinals on offense. That’s despite coming into the season with plenty of reasonable concern about the quarterback position this year.
Star wide receiver Michael Wilson recently addressed the hot start by Arizona’s quarterbacks. There, he praised their play and the job of the coaching staff, while seemingly taking a shot at the previous coaching staff.
“Definitely there’s an element of we’ve got to see what it looks like in the regular season,” Wilson said. “But, I mean, I’ve never been a part of a team in preseason that’s had those type of numbers. I’d actually like to see the historical data on what it is between two games. We were 15-15 in the first half between Gardner [Minshew] and Jacoby [Brissett]. It’s almost like plug and play. Whoever is out there at wideout. Whoever is out there at quarterback. Regardless, it looks the same.”
Then came when Wilson went to directly praise the current coaching staff, led by head coach Mike LaFleur. However, there’s no way to praise how much better something is in 2026 without it also coming across, to some extent, like a criticism of the 2025 staff.
“To me, what that comes down to, I think a lot is of that is coaching,” Wilson said. “Like, it’s players executing, but it’s also getting the right calls in and the way that Mike and the offensive staff is detailing things up in the pass game. Getting guys open. Getting guys advantageous one-on-ones. From there, the quarterbacks making the throws and receivers getting open, but a lot of that is scheme and putting players in a position to be successful.”
LaFleur is taking over for Jonathan Gannon, who led the team from 2023 to 2025. During that time, he failed to have a winning season and finished at 15-36 overall. So, Cardinals fans probably won’t mind how Wilson feels about the new coaching staff.
Quarterback is Supposed to be a Concern for the Arizona Cardinals
GettyArizona Cardinals QBs Carson Beck and Jacoby Brissett
There is a lot of reason to be excited about the Arizona Cardinals on offense this season. In particular, the skill positions. Running back, wide receiver, and tight end are all clearly positions of strength. That’s even if there have been some very real concerns about the quarterback position.
This offseason, the Cardinals had an extended contract dispute with presumed starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, before eventually giving him a pay raise. However, in the meantime, fellow journeyman Gardner Minshew was taking first team reps, creating some level of controversy in the process.
Then, third-round pick Carson Beck has also had Cardinals fans excited. In particular, after the Hall of Fame Game, where Beck had a phenomenal performance. He’s dealing with a rib injury now, but has very much thrown his hat in the ring at quarterback.
All of that amounts to a position where there are very real questions. However, as the quarterbacks play well in the preseason, it’s easy to have growing confidence in the options that the Cardinals have, even if there is still some debate about who should be at quarterback.
Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort on Michael Wilson Extension
GettyArizona Cardinals WR Michael Wilson
The Arizona Cardinals are currently looking to find a way to extend Michael Wilson. However, negotiations have seemingly stagnated, and despite the fact that Wilson has made it clear in the past that he wants to stay in Arizona, GM Monti Ossenfort had a notable warning about the extension.
“He’s a guy that we want around here a long time,” Ossenfort said. “There’s no question about it. So, I mean, expect, that’s a tough word.”
The concern, of course, is that Ossenfort said “expect” is a “tough word” to get the extension done. That leaves room for it not to happen and Wilson to, ultimately, walk. Coming off a 1,000 yard season, Wilson won’t likely come cheap but it’s hard to imagine not bringing him back.
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