When you find a superstar, you do what it takes to keep him. The Arizona Cardinals have learned this lesson the hard way in the past, allowing Calais Campbell to leave for Jacksonville and become an All-Pro.
The Cardinals are not making the same mistake with Trey McBride.
Adam Schefter reported that the Cardinals have signed McBride to a four-year, $76 million contract extension. The deal makes McBride the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.
Cardinals extend tight end Trey McBride
In his three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Trey McBride has shown consistent growth. As a rookie, he posted 265 yards and one touchdown on 29 receptions. He followed it up in his second season with 825 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2024, McBride reached a new level. Though he only scored twice, he finished second among all tight ends in the NFL with 111 receptions for 1,146 yards.
McBride has become the focal point of Arizona’s passing game. His 147 targets last season led the team by a wide margin. McBride is utilized both in the slot and as a traditional tight end in the Cardinals scheme. He consistently beats defenders over the middle of the field and picks up yardage after the catch.
Cardinals learn from others' mistakes
After McBride's impressive performance in 2024, an extension was bound to be on the way. A player of McBride's quality was likely to reset the tight end market. There was no reason to delay the deal.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is also due for a contract extension soon. LaPorta, like McBride, has become one o the top tight ends in the NFL early in his career. If the Lions signed LaPorta to an extension, it would likely have reset the tight end market.
Subsequently, the Cardinals would likely be pressured to top that deal and make McBride the league's richest tight end. By getting ahead of the curve and extending McBride now, Arizona may have saved themselves millions of dollars in cap space.
The Cardinals learned from the Cincinnati Bengals extension blunders. Cincinnati continually delayed inevitable extensions for both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Without a doubt, they ended up paying both players more than they would have had the deals been completed earlier.
Instead of kicking the can down the road, the Cardinals were proactive in keeping one of their best players. This move shows the rest of the roster that the Cardinals reward their best players. Now, McBride can focus on helping Arizona return to the playoffs next season.
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