Cardinals' TE Trey McBride has chance to repeat success in 2024
By Brandon Ray
The tight end position in the NFL is a big question for a lot of teams in the league. Unless a team has a player like Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, George Kittle or Mark Andrews, they more than likely don’t have a tight end that can take over a game. One tight end who had a major jump from his rookie season in 2022 to last season was Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals. In 2022, McBride had just 29 receptions for 265 yards and one score.
In the first nine games without Kyler Murray throwing him the ball, McBride had 287 yards and one score. His best game in that stretch took place in Week 8 where he was targeted 14 times and caught 10 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Once Murray returned back under center in Week 10, McBride had 538 receiving yards and two touchdowns (having no less than 6 targets in each game).
McBride jumped up in rankings last season and will have a fully healthy Kyler Murray throwing him the ball now in this new look offense. With Arizona going out and drafting Illinois rookie tight end Tip Reiman who is more of a blocking tight end, McBride should be featured once again in the passing attack.
McBride not only has the chance to be part of the attack, but even potentially having a repeat of his 2023 season. The Cardinals added multiple weapons on the outside this offseason. Their wide receiver room is much improved with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Zay Jones, followed by returners in Greg Dortch and Michael Wilson. Maybe McBride won’t get the amount of targets he got last season, but he and Murray have chemistry together and know how to connect on the field.
The biggest name weapon for the Cardinals heading into 2024 is Marvin Harrison Jr. without question. He is going to have breakout games, as well as quiet games. With the quiet games, that is where McBride can excel because the Cardinals are going to need to throw the ball more than they think. Whatever Harrison Jr. or Zay Jones struggle with, that is where McBride steps in to become an x-factor in this offense.