The Arizona Cardinals made their first roster move after the trade deadline Friday, signing tight end Elijah Higgins to a three-year extension, reportedly worth up to $26.8 million, via Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport.
“The deal ties him to Arizona through 2029 and was finished off today by Sam Mirza, Derek Hawkridge and Chris Cabott of EquitySports,” Schefter added.
Locking Higgins in means securing the backup they trust behind their All-Pro tight end Trey McBride.
What Elijah Higgins Extension Mean for the Cardinals?
Since the Cardinals already signed McBride to a four-year, $76 million extension ($19 million per year) in August 2025, signing Higgins secures one of the league’s best two-tight-end rooms for the next three seasons without breaking the cap.
And, they only have to pay him up to $8.9 million per year, less than half of McBride’s annual average.
What makes the timing interesting is Carson Beck officially being the QB1 on depth chart and preparing for his NFL regular season debut this Sunday. Since they are short on receiving corps after the Marvin Harrison Jr. trade, the Cardinals needed some sort of safety net for Beck.
“Knowing the Cardinals are short on experience at wide receiver because of injuries, Higgins knows he might be needed more often in the passing game the rest of this season,” Cardinals writer Darren Urban writes.
“It’ll depend on how the game shakes out,” Higgins said. “You can draw up a million plays and call a few or call none. I’ll be ready.”
Higgins Dismisses the Idea of Playing as WR
As a former wide receiver, Higgins filling in as a receiver was an optiin, until he entirely dismissed the idea.
“Nah,” Higgins said. “If I could lose 30 pounds, maybe.”
“Higgins has 18 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown this year. He had been scheduled to be a free agent after the season. The former college wide receiver had been drafted by the Dolphins before being released as a rookie, when the Cardinals picked up up off waivers. He had a career-best 30 receptions for 301 yards last season,” Urban writes.
Bo Brack pointed out how claiming Higgins of the waivers has aged well for GM Monti Ossenfort.
“Higgy Bear has been a valuable and durable depth piece for the Arizona Cardinals at TE and a core contributor on special teams. Claiming Higgins off waivers before the 2023 season has aged well for GM Monti Ossenfort. Now rewarded with an extension through 2029.”
Cardinals Make First $26.8 Million Move After Trade Deadline