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Cardinals’ tight end Trey McBride is oozing with NFL breakout player potential.
Who are this year’s potential breakout players in the NFL? We have you covered. The next player in our series is Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride.
The NFL tight end revolution is happening.
As the league tries to get more versatile chess pieces on the field, the role of the tight end is expanding. The old guard such as the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and the 49ers’ George Kittle are still at the top of their game, while newcomers such as Lions’ tight end Sam LaPorta and Browns tight end David Njoku are rising through the ranks into the league’s elite.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is ready to join them. If his 2024 is anything like his finish in 2023, he’ll make his way into the elite ranks at the position. A major part of this breakout is QB Kyler Murray coming back into form. After Murray returned in Week 10 of 2023, McBride truly hit his McStride, finishing the season third in targets and yards among tight ends, and finished in the top three in Yards per Route Run among all tight ends (min. 20 targets). McBride is a favorite target of Murray, and their rapport as Murray returned back to form was super fun to watch.
Despite not having long arms or wingspan (44th percentile wingspan and 26th percentile arm length), McBride is really good with the ball in the air. This is because he has good timing on his jumps and can always get to the ball at its’ highest point, and is strong enough to fight through contact at the catch point. Among all targets deemed not on target by Sports Information Solutions, McBride was third in catches, showcasing an ability to make his QB right, no matter what the circumstance is. Watch him adjust to this ball in the air with a DB draped on him. McBride is able to locate the ball and highpoint it and despite not having the longest arms, he can secure this catch.
Not only is this a benefit for the Cardinals downfield on vertical targets, but on catches near the sideline, McBride has such good concentration that he can extend his body and haul in tough catches on the sideline. McBride is truly a QB’s best friend downfield and can be a serious chain mover for the Cardinals offense.
I mean, this is a great catch through contact near the sideline. McBride swats the hands down to get a step on the defender, and the concentration to bring this catch in through contact is really impressive.
Where I was most surprised by McBride in his 2023 campaign was how much wiggle he has. After Murray came back into the lineup he tied for second in Yards After the Catch and on the entire season he finished fifth among tight ends in YAC. He’s so physical both after the catch and while running routes that it kinda masks his fluidity and coordination with the ball in his hands. McBride ran the fourth-most screens among tight ends in the NFL, and a lot of his targets were on these screens and little late release routes into the flat. From there, McBride would go to work, stiff-arming opposing defenders and getting upfield immediately.
McBride can use his physicality to jar opponents off the ball, but he has enough juice at the top of his route to snap off defenders and create separation. While that part of his game can improve, McBride has the athletic tools to continue to round out that part of his game.
As a blocker, I think McBride is fine, but some of his athletic limitations show up when he’s at the point of attack. However, when he’s in space on linebackers and the secondary, he can be a really good blocker. Arizona used him in both an in-line and detached spot as a blocker, but when he’s out in space he’s at his best.
McBride is on the fast track to stardom at the tight end position, especially if the Cardinals’ offense continues to grow as they did last year. What I found the most interesting about Arizona was their usage of 12 personnel. They finished 15th in 12 personnel rate according to Sumer Sports, but finished ninth in total EPA out of that personnel. After Murray came back, the Cardinals Positive Play Rate out of 12 jumped up to ninth in the entire NFL, an impressive number especially considering where they were at QB before Murray got healthy.
Why is 12 personnel being harped on so much, you might ask? Well, the Cardinals drafted this guy named Marvin Harrison Jr. You might’ve heard of him. He does things like this:
So, now with Harrison and ascending wideout Michael Wilson on the field, Arizona has a bunch of versatile and dynamic targets, including McBride. While McBride might not be the most dominant vertical field stretcher, having Wilson and Harrison Jr. will open up the lanes in between for McBride to work against linebackers and safeties, and Arizona can truly play the matchup game. Having already established a strong relationship with Murray, the sky is the limit for McBride, who could end 2024 as the next elite tight end in the NFL.
