Adrian Wilson thinks Cardinals should try to get value for vets Budda Baker, Josh Sweat

Former Arizona Cardinals player and executive Adrian Wilson has met the fanbase where it is lately, expressing on social media his thoughts and frustrations on what has gone awry this season.

Wilson interviewed for the Cardinals’ general manager job that went to Monti Ossenfort, which he prefaced in a nearly-seven-minute video he posted with thoughts about what Arizona can do next.

The biggest Cardinals talking points lately have been the trade of Marvin Harrison Jr. along with fans calling for change at quarterback and defensive coordinator, each of which Wilson addressed on Tuesday with Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta.

Additionally, Wilson explained that he would look into trading veteran defenders Budda Baker and Josh Sweat, considering the Cardinals have already started dealing talent off the roster for draft capital.

My current thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals

Deal Budda and Josh Sweat

Play Beck to see what you have in him so you can start planning for 2027

Defensive issues are troubling

Who has the juice in the building ( Head Coach or GM)

— Adrian Wilson (@adrian_wilson24) October 12, 2026

Adrian Wilson talks Cardinals defense, Marvin Harrison Jr. trade

Wilson, a Ring of Honor member, expressed that Arizona’s defensive scheme may not be the primary issue with that side of the ball, that the lack of blue-chippers is more apparent to him.

“I think the scheme itself is a really good scheme. Again, when it comes down to scheme, scheme is all about players,” Wilson said. “You can arguably say there’s not an elite player defensively on the roster. Budda is getting older. Josh Sweat kind of took training camp off and he’s working his way back back into form. But again, you got to have elite players to play really good defense. They can scheme it up, but if you don’t have the players, it’s going to be tough in this league.”

Arizona allowed 30-plus points in four straight games, all losses. The Cardinals have dedicated eight draft picks in the opening three rounds to defenders since Ossenfort took over in 2023 (none this year), and between injuries and underwhelming performances the unit has not taken the expected steps forward.

Baker is in Year 10 with the Cardinals at 30 years old and has 2.5 sacks and an interception. Sweat is in Year 2 after signing with Arizona and has one sack and two tackles for loss in five games this season. Will contending teams be interested in adding these veteran pieces on defense? If so, the organization has to decide to what degree it wants to push toward adding draft assets.

On offense, Wilson said he understood the Harrison trade but did not love that it came down right before a game. He called it a mystery why Harrison as the No. 4 overall pick was unable to be more helpful in Arizona, pointing to No. 6 pick of that 2024 draft class Malik Nabers having back-to-back 100-yard games with the New York Giants.

“I’m not one to sit up here and say that it was a bad draft pick because I don’t think it was,” Wilson said. “I think, in general, it was a bad fit. … Being able to draft a guy where you drafted him, me personally, you have to put an environment around that player.”

As far as quarterback, the Cardinals are rolling with veteran Jacoby Brissett while rookie Carson Beck has yet to be active.

The state of the offensive line, contract given to Brissett and feeling that Beck may not be ready are all possible explanations.

“Do you put him in in that situation? Are you going to see the full potential that he may have down the road? I don’t know,” Wilson said. “But that decision could have been made at the beginning of the year when the quarterback competition should have been opened up. … I can understand if they’re not willing to put Beck in right now. But the guy definitely should be active.”

Wilson said watching the Cardinals reminds him of his early years with the franchise. The Cardinals drafted him in 2001, and their next winning season was in 2008 when they went to the Super Bowl.

Wilson is no longer directly affiliated with the Cardinals after he worked as a scout, director of pro scouting and vice president of pro scouting for the team from 2015-22 under former GM Steve Keim.

He left the organization for a role as the vice president of player personnel with the Carolina Panthers in 2023, which lasted one season, as they parted ways after he faced domestic violence charges in Scottsdale in 2024, which were dismissed.

He explained the Cardinals and Panthers were in similar spots at the time, saying teams need to set a plan to improve and stick to it without being obtuse to the needs of changes organizationally to execute.

“Within that plan, there’s things around the building that need to change. Whether it’s the weight room, the medical, the equipment room, whatever it is, you want to make sure you’re putting the best people around your players, the best people in the environment so the environment can succeed,” Wilson said. “And again, I’m not saying that the Cardinals weren’t doing that. I’m not in the building. I have a lot of respect for Mr. (Michael) Bidwill. But at the same time, sometimes you need to change things up.”

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