Elijah Higgins

Career StatsC+

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		45	64	636	3
2025		17	30	301	0
2024		17	20	172	2
2023		11

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Cardinals locked up a solid depth piece at an extremely team-friendly price, making this Elijah Higgins deal earn a B- CVI that leans heavily toward steal territory. At just $1.0M AAV over four years, Arizona is paying backup money for a tight end who's proven capable of contributing when called upon, with minimal financial risk thanks to only $200K guaranteed. The four-year term gives the Cardinals cost certainty at a position where quality depth typically commands $2-3M annually, essentially securing Higgins through his prime developmental window. While he's not going to be your TE1 anytime soon, this contract structure allows Arizona to keep a reliable third tight end without any salary cap stress, and if Higgins takes a leap, they'll have him locked up at well below market rate. This is exactly the type of low-risk, high-upside depth signing that smart front offices use to build roster flexibility while maintaining talent insurance at key positions.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Elijah's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Tape review and box-score baselines converge on a C+ performance grade for Elijah Higgins. The third-year tight end posted 301 receiving yards across 17 games in the 2025 season, a respectable cumulative output that reflects steady involvement in Arizona's offense despite the Cardinals' 3-14 campaign. His receiving yardage represents his clearest strength — those 301 yards, combined with his recent 27-yard gain and team-leading receiving performance in isolated stretches, suggest he's beginning to establish a legitimate role in the passing game rather than functioning as pure roster depth. The critical weakness, however, is volume consistency: 17 games played but a tight-end-starter target share remains elusive, which caps his ceiling and keeps him classified as a developmental piece rather than an established contributor. At 25 years old in his third season on a rookie scale contract worth $1 million annually, Higgins fits the profile of a prospect carving out opportunity rather than a proven starter — the media narrative surrounding him is cautiously optimistic about his upside, positioning him as someone who could graduate to full-time starter status if he secures a larger target allocation in 2026. His durability and modest but genuine playmaking flashes have generated enough buzz among Cardinals beat reporters to keep him in roster-construction conversations, though the consensus remains that his next chapter will define whether he becomes a long-term fixture or a depth commodity.

How Elijah Compares at the Position

Elijah Higgins ranks 52nd of 164 graded tight ends by performance. That slots Elijah between Will Dissly (C+) just ahead and Caleb Lohner (C+) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Elijah Higgins carries a B- sentiment grade heading into the 2026 offseason, reflecting cautiously optimistic media coverage that positions him as an intriguing developmental piece rather than an established contributor. Arizona beat reporters and fantasy analysts have taken notice of his recent playmaking flashes, including a 27-yard gain that helped generate genuine buzz around his evolving role in the Cardinals' offense. At just $1 million annually, Higgins represents exceptional value on Arizona's roster, which keeps him prominently featured in roster-construction discussions despite his limited track record. The media narrative around Higgins is notably free of the skepticism that typically surrounds players at his experience level, with coverage focusing on his upside potential rather than questioning his roster spot. If he can secure a larger target share in 2026 and build on these encouraging performances, Higgins has the profile to graduate from depth piece to legitimate starter in the eyes of both the fanbase and broader NFL media.