Cardinals Star Rookie Teases Change to Jersey Number

The Arizona Cardinals' secondary got a major boost last offseason with the arrival of Will Johnson, a highly touted cornerback prospect who slid in the draft due to health concerns.

Johnson flashed a lot of promising play throughout a rookie season that saw him thrown into the fire thanks to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. Johnson ultimately started 10 of the 12 games he played for Arizona in 2025 and made All-Rookie teams for both ESPN and the PFWA.

The future seems to be bright, though Johnson is making a jersey switch ahead of his sophomore campaign in the league according to a recent video he plugged on social media.

Johnson looks to be owning the No. 2 jersey from Mack Wilson after donning No. 0 in 2025:

Back 2 my roots ✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/pfJ5ZNigfW
— Wílł Jøhnšoñ (@Willj1228) March 11, 2026

It's unclear what jersey Wilson — starting linebacker and team captain — will be rocking ahead of 2026. Numbers 0 and 1 are available for him to snag among others.

Look good/feel good/play good is a motto most cornerbacks live by, so while a jersey swap might not be significant to outsiders, it does mean a lot to the players on the field.

2025 saw Johnson experience ups and downs when it came to health and overall performance, as he allowed a passer rating of 109.6 when targeted while missing five games with back, knee and hip injuries.

Such is life for a rookie corner adjusting to the league, though former head coach Jonathan Gannon saw a lot of promise out of Johnson.

"He takes the coaching, and he applies it. He doesn't make the same mistake twice, typically. I'm pretty hard on him, but he's smart. He's tough," Gannon said. "He's got what you're looking for in a corner. He's done a good job since he's been here. And again, I think he's going to continue to ascend the more he plays.”

Johnson alongside fellow rookie Denzel Burke and slot man Garrett Williams could potentially form a solid trio of corners when all are healthy, which is the hope for 2026.

Though Gannon was fired and new head coach Mike LaFleur has taken over, Johnson should see consistency entering his second season with the presence of defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, who was retained by LaFleur.

Johnson has all the tools to become a very good corner in the league. Now, with a rookie season behind him, he'll have a new jersey number to do it in.