Michael Wilson deal highlights gap between headline value and guaranteed money
The Arizona Cardinals receiver’s reported extension is worth $75 million over three years, but only $35 million is fully guaranteed at signing.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson has signed a reported three-year, $75 million contract extension, according to Yahoo Sports. The deal includes $47 million in guarantees, although $35 million is fully guaranteed at signing.
No money is currently fully guaranteed in the final two years of the contract, covering 2028 and 2029. The structure leaves a distinction between the headline guarantee and the security attached to the later seasons.
Including amended 2026 terms, the agreement is valued at a reported $78.935 million over four years, rather than $75 million across the full period. That produces an average of $19.734 million from 2026 through 2029, compared with the $25 million annual figure attached to the three-year extension.
Wilson’s 2026 base salary was reduced from the scheduled $3.924 million under his rookie contract to $1.485 million, with a $10,880 workout bonus. An $18 million signing bonus is prorated at $4.5 million a year, producing a 2026 salary-cap hit of $6.22 million.
The cap burden is expected to rise substantially from 2027. That season includes a $15.855 million base salary, active-roster bonuses of up to $340,000 and a $250,000 workout bonus.
In 2028, Wilson’s base salary is reported at $16.5 million, with $12 million guaranteed for injury only and a $1 million roster bonus. Yahoo Sports reported that the injury guarantee is believed likely to become fully guaranteed in either 2027 or 2028, although the contract source did not specify the timing.
