Arizona Cardinals End of the Season Awards
By Jeremy Meek
Jermaine Gresham nearly doubled all of his output from 2015
When Jermaine Gresham came over from the Cincinnati Bengals, he hoped to reproduce some of the numbers that he had the last time he teamed with Carson Palmer. In 2010, as a rookie, he had 52 receptions for 471 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Palmer moved on after that season, but Gresham stayed in Cincinnati for five seasons, averaging 56 catches, 544 yards, and 5 scores. He then left the Bengals via free agency, and signed a contract with the Cardinals.
His first season in Arizona didn’t go as well as he would have liked. He recorded just 18 receptions for 223 yards and 1 touchdown in 2015, as the Cardinals relied heavily on their receivers. Darren Fells got many of the tight end reps as well, limiting Gresham’s impact.
In 2016, Gresham began to make more of an impact, nearly doubling his statistical output. He had 37 catches for 391 yards and 2 touchdowns this season, and became the clear number one tight end. He also contributed to the offense with his blocking and his ability to extend plays by breaking tackles. He’s a free agent this offseason, but the Cardinals will likely attempt to keep him in Arizona, and see if he can put up even better numbers in 2017.