The NFL trade deadline is approaching on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Arizona Cardinals sit at the bottom of the NFC West at 3-5 and are a team to monitor as potential sellers. They've already moved Marvin Harrison Jr. and more recently, Jacoby Brissett.
A few other veterans make sense to at least explore trades with to see if it's worth flipping them into future assets. However, one player this approach doesn't apply to is star tight end Trey McBride, who the Cardinals have made clear is off-limits.
I thought that was basically already assumed, but apparently the Denver Broncos felt the need to take advantage of their unlimited minutes by giving GM Monti Ossenfort a call. Here was the latest trade deadline intel regarding McBride and the Broncos' interest from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport:
"The Denver Broncos have checked in around the league on tight ends, going so far as to ambitiously -- and some would say outrageously -- inquire about Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride, who is from Fort Morgan, Colorado, and played at Colorado State."
"The Cardinals made it very clear they have zero intention of trading McBride, and Denver turned its attention elsewhere."
It doesn't hurt to ask, right?
Cardinals are right to keep Trey McBride off-limits
The Broncos' offense has been struggling under quarterback Bo Nix, and it makes sense to try to get him as many weapons as possible to mask those flaws. After all, McBride is one of the rare pass catchers in the league that genuinely seems quarterback-proof.
Just look at his production this season and the Cardinals' quarterback situation, recently swapping from one veteran stopgap to another, and it tells you everything you need to know. It's also impressive considering Arizona's depleted group of pass catchers, since McBride continues to produce despite being drawing most of the defense's attention.
It makes sense for the Cardinals to continue stockpiling future draft capital, but that doesn't mean they need to trade everyone just for the sake of it. This isn't Madden. McBride still has plenty of years left to contribute in Arizona as he's just 26 years old and still under contract through 2029.
These may be "wasted stats" in terms of McBride putting up numbers in what is already shaping up to be another lost season for the Cardinals. But there's something to be said for the importance of having that offensive infrastructure around whatever quarterback they bring in next, whether that's Carson Beck or a potential first-round pick at the position in 2027.
McBride is a Madden 99 player for a reason. The fact that he's already producing at this level without a true QB1 should make Arizona optimistic about pairing him with a top draft pick. That's not worth sacrificing for another draft pick or two, as high as they may be given McBride's talent. There's no guarantee prospects pan out, and consider how high McBride would be going in the draft if you knew this would be his career. Arizona wouldn't be getting anywhere close to that value, and needs to keep him around for the next iteration of this rebuild under Mike LaFleur.
The Cardinals shouldn't take this firm a trade stance on other veterans on shorter deals or who are more expendable. But McBride is one of the only good pieces left on an offense that's fallen apart this season. That stability is invaluable for this rebuild, and the Cardinals fortunately seem to know you can't put a price on that.
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