Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) is defended by Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (6) after a catch during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 7, 2024.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) is defended by Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (6) after a catch during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 7, 2024.
After placing Jeremiyah Love on injured reserve earlier in the month, the Arizona Cardinals will be without another one of their young, ascending offensive core for the foreseeable future.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Mike LaFleur revealed that the injury Michael Wilson suffered to his neck in Week 9 is actually a season-ender, with the fourth-year wide receiver heading to injured reserve.
“Start with just some of these injuries. So, Fro (Hjalte Froholdt) is in the concussion protocol. So, you guys kind of know how that thing works. So, we'll just kind of know more as the week goes on. Roy (Lopez), I don't got much on Roy. We'll know a little bit more as the week goes on,” LaFleur noted. “(Gardner) Minshew, we're running some tests on kind of the elbow arm that you saw get hit there. And then, unfortunately, Mike Wilson, he'll be out for the year. So, he's got a fracture in his neck area.”
Initially drafted in the third round out of Stanford, Michael Wilson has been one of the Cardinals' most consistent weapons over the past four years, catching 214 balls for 2,665 yards and 16 touchdowns. While losing Wilson won't exactly end the Cardinals' Super Bowl hopes, as they are all but eliminated from the NFC West already, it's just another ugly segment in an overall disappointing first season for LaFleur, who is looking to forge a winning culture in Arizona. Fortunately, this was always going to be more than a one-year rebuild, so there's always next year.