The $19 million average value per year makes McBride the highest paid tight end in NFL history and includes $43 million in guaranteed money. The soon-to-be fourth-year tight end set career highs in targets, receptions, and yardage in 2024 but has still managed only six receiving touchdowns during his three-year professional career. Cardinals General Manager Monti Ossenfort said in late February that extending McBride was a priority this offseason, making good on his promise in spectacular fashion.

He stopped short of offering a timeline. The Cardinals’ tight end is entering the final year of his rookie contract and, given that the Cardinals are flush with cap space, would seem to be a candidate to receive that extension before the season starts. McBride had a monster fantasy season with a 111/1146/2 receiving line and figures to be either the first or second tight end off the board (alongside Brock Bowers) in most drafts this offseason.

After going 14 games without a score, McBride heads into the offseason with a touchdown in back-to-back contests. The lack of scoring was legendary, but so was the compiling. His 111 receptions (in 16 games) finish just seven short of the all time record for a tight end, while his 1,146 yards are a sky-scraping number for a seam stretcher. Still only 25 with increased compiling and efficiency (he entered Week 18 second in yards per route run amongst tight ends) each of the past two seasons, McBride has a claim to TE1 overall status in dynasty leagues even with Brock Bowers in the picture. McBride is eligible for a monster extension this offseason.