TEMPE, Ariz. -- High on the Arizona Cardinals' to-do list this offseason -- somewhere around building a pass rush and solidifying the defensive line with about $70 million in cap space -- is keeping tight end Trey McBride around long term.
General manager Monti Ossenfort said at the NFL combine that extending McBride "is a priority for us." However, Ossenfort said he doesn't have a timeline on when a potential deal could get done.
"Certainly a guy we would love to extend," Ossenfort said.
McBride, a second-round pick in 2022, is eligible for an extension after completing his third NFL season.
Historically, the Cardinals have handed out extensions to their stars either during the season, like they did with running back James Conner and safety Budda Baker in 2024, or right around the start of training camp. Quarterback Kyler Murray received his extension in late July 2021. In 2016, safety Tyrann Mathieu was given an extension in early August, and back in 2014, cornerback Patrick Peterson signed an extension at the end of July.
Ossenfort said extending McBride would give the Cardinals "certainty of what we're doing with from a cap perspective." McBride could be in line for a significant payday whenever he signs his next deal.
The top 10 tight end contracts by average annual value were all signed after 2020. The highest by AAV is Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, who signed a two-year deal in 2024 worth $34.25 million. Minnesota Vikings' T.J. Hockenson was second on the list with a four-year deal worth $66 million, followed by San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle, who signed a five-year deal with the 49ers in 2020 worth $75 million.
All the tight end deals that are for at least four years are worth, at minimum, $48.4 million.
But where would McBride fit in the contractual hierarchy?
He has the fourth-most receptions (221) and yards (2,236) among tight ends since he was drafted. The three players currently ahead of McBride in receptions are Kelce (300); the Jacksonville Jaguars' Evan Engram (234), who signed a three-year deal in 2023 worth $41.25 million; and Hockenson (222). And the three who are ahead of McBride in reception yards happen to be the three highest-paid tight ends in the NFL by AAV: Kelce (3,145), Kittle (2,891) and Hockenson (2,329).
The only tight ends on the top 10 list by AAV who signed younger than the 25-year-old McBride would be Baltimore Ravens' Mark Andrews and Chicago Bears' Cole Kmet.
McBride turned in the first Pro Bowl season for a Cardinals tight end in the 2024 season since Hall of Famer Jackie Smith in 1970. McBride finished with the second-most receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,146) among all tight ends this season. He also broke his own franchise record for receptions in a season and had the second most receptions in a season for any receiver in franchise history.
But coach Jonathan Gannon said McBride hasn't hit his ceiling yet.
"He's working on different parts of his game, but I think just keep doing what he's doing and keep improving in all parts of his game because he's not a one-trick pony," Gannon said. "He can block in the run game. He can beat you on the first, second and third levels. Run after the catch. I think that's elite from him.
"The mental part of the game, I think he can take strides, which we've talked about. In the physical part of the game, I think he can take strides. He's got a lot of good ball in him left so glad we have him. Obviously, he's a premier player for us, and I'm excited about moving forward."
McBride, however, said after the season that he's not thinking about a new deal, and that he's letting his agent handle the negotiations. His plan for the offseason was to get healthy.
"That stuff will kind of take care of itself when the time comes for that," McBride said, "but, right now, I'm just focused on the next day and what I can do to get healthy going into this offseason."