Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort has been quietly building a contender in the three offseasons he's had in the role. He inherited a roster full of holes, and he's used the draft and free agency to completely transform the identity of the franchise.
But hey, Steve Keim had some hits, too.
Keim was the Cardinals GM from 2013 to 2022. By the end of his time in Arizona, Cardinals fans were frustrated by Keim's consistent focus on "tweener" players and his pursuit of washed-up veterans. Before parting ways with the team, Keim gave Cardinals fans one final gift.
Trey McBride named best tight end of 2022 NFL Draft
In the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected tight end Trey McBride out of Colorado State. McBride was viewed as an athletic and versatile tight end who lacked the refinement to be a first-round prospect.
In his three seasons with the Cardinals, McBride has quickly become one of the best tight ends in the sport. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2024 after leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. McBride has already become the focal point of the Cardinals' passing game, consistently creating highlight plays with his catching ability and dynamism after the catch.
McBride recently signed a new contract with the Cardinals that made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL (until George Kittle surpassed him a few weeks later).
According to PFF, he's the best tight end to come out of the 2022 draft.
Thomas Valentine, the PFF analyst, says, "His past two seasons have been productive enough to consider him one of the best tight ends in the NFL, and he’s still only 25 years old."
Now, this shouldn't come as a shock. McBride was the first tight end selected in his class and the only one taken in the first two rounds. Jelani Woods, Jeremy Ruckert, Cade Otton, and Isaiah Likely were all taken in rounds three and four.
It may be surprising to NFL Draft analysts just how dominant Trey McBride has become in the NFL. If teams had known the path that the early portion of McBride's career would take, he would've been selected early in the first round.
Sure, Steve Keim had some embarrassing misses during his time as the Arizona Cardinals general manager. Trey McBride may just turn out to be his biggest hit.