March 15, 2026, 6:28 p.m. MT
Elijah Wilkinson won’t be handed the starting job at right tackle for the Arizona Cardinals this season, but it’s fair to say he’s the very early leader in the clubhouse.
Wilkinson, who played every snap (1,096) in that spot for the Falcons last season, signed a two-year contract worth $6.25 million during the first week of the league year.
Christian Jones, a fifth-round pick in 2024, shows promise, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy during his first two seasons in Arizona.
There has been no word yet on whether Kelvin Beachum will continue his career and whether the Cardinals want him back. Last year, he didn’t sign until April 3.
Between now and the draft, there will surely be endless words about the Cardinals selecting a tackle with the third overall choice in the third round or in subsequent rounds.
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We have the details for Wilkinson’s contract.
Elijah Wilkinson contract details
As for Wilkinson, his contract has $3.08 million guaranteed, which includes a $1.5 million signing bonus and his $1.58 million base salary this year. Other compensation in 2026 are $25,000 per-game roster bonuses for a max total of $425,000 and a $100,000 offseason workout bonus. The 2027 base salary is $2.12 million.
This year’s salary-cap charge is $2.855 million with $$3.395 million in 2027.
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