Cardinals Sign TE Elijah Higgins to Three-Year Extension Worth Up to $26.8 Million
Arizona locks up its No. 2 tight end behind Trey McBride through 2029 instead of letting him reach free agency after the season
The Arizona Cardinals are keeping tight end Elijah Higgins off the open market. Arizona and Higgins agreed Friday to a three-year extension worth up to $26.8 million, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported, a deal that ties him to the team through the 2029 season.
The #AZCardinals and TE Elijah Higgins reached an agreement on a 3-year extension worth up to $26.8M, per me and @AdamSchefter. The deal ties him to Arizona through 2029 and was negotiated by @AgentMirza, @sirhawkridge and @chriscabott of @EquitySports.View on X →
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): The #AZCardinals and TE Elijah Higgins reached an agreement on a 3-year extension worth up to $26.8M, per me and @AdamSchefter. The deal ties him to Arizona through 2029 and was negotiated by @AgentMirza, @sirhawkridge and @chriscabott of @EquitySports.
Higgins was in the final year of the rookie contract he signed as a sixth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2023, and he would have been an unrestricted free agent in March. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers from Miami, and the former Stanford player has since turned himself into a reliable second tight end behind Trey McBride, the centerpiece of Arizona's passing game.
The numbers are modest because of who he plays next to. Higgins has 18 catches on 21 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown this season, according to ESPN's stats, and 82 receptions for 798 yards and four touchdowns over his career. The "up to" language means part of the $26.8 million is tied to incentives, putting the full value at just under $9 million a year if he hits them.
The timing also says something about how the Cardinals view the long term. At 3-6, Arizona has been hit hard by injuries, losing quarterback Gardner Minshew to a torn UCL and receiver Michael Wilson to a season-ending fractured vertebra. Rookie Carson Beck will make his first NFL start Sunday when the Cardinals host the Los Angeles Rams at 1:05 p.m. PT, with McBride and Higgins anchoring the tight end room. By extending Higgins now, the front office avoids having to rebuild the No. 2 tight end spot in the offseason while it sorts out the quarterback position.