Who do you think could be a breakout player in the NFL this year? We’re here to support youThe next player in this series is Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride.
An NFL tight end revolution is underway.
The role of tight ends is expanding as the league looks to bring more versatile chess pieces onto the field, such as the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and 49ersGeorge Kittle remains one of the best, but Lions tight ends Sam LaPorta and Browns Tight end David Njoku is rising through the ranks into the league’s elite.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is poised to join them. If 2024 is anything like his 2023 performance, he will rise to the elite ranks at his position. A big factor in this rise is that QB Kyler Murray is back in form. After Murray returned in Week 10 of 2023, McBride really hit his stride, finishing third among tight ends in targets and yards and in the top three in yards per route run among tight ends (minimum 20 targets) that season. McBride is Murray’s favorite target, and their chemistry has been a lot of fun to watch as Murray got back in form.
Despite not having the longest arms or wingspan (44th percentile for wingspan, 26th percentile for arm length), McBride is extremely adept at handling the ball in the air. This is because he times his jump well, is consistently able to reach the highest point of the ball, and is strong enough to weather contact at the catch point. Among all targets deemed non-targets by Sports Information Solutions, McBride is third in catches, showcasing his ability to get the QB in the right position in any situation. Watch as he adjusts to the ball in the air with the DB over him. McBride is able to locate the ball and reach high, allowing him to make this catch despite not having the longest arms.
Not only does this give the Cardinals an advantage in terms of vertical targets downfield, but even on catches near the sideline, McBride is so focused he can stretch out and make difficult catches up the sideline. McBride is truly a QB’s best friend downfield and could be a key chain mover for the Cardinals’ offense.
This is a great catch on contact near the sideline. McBride slaps his hand down to get one step ahead of the defender, and the focus he shows to make this catch through contact is truly impressive.
What surprised me most about McBride’s performance in 2023 was his agility. After Murray returned to the lineup, he tied for second in yards after the catch and was fifth in YAC among tight ends overall for the season. He’s so physical after the catch and while running routes that it somewhat masks his fluidity and coordination with the ball in his hands. McBride ran the fourth-most screens among tight ends in the NFL, and many of his targets were those screens and slightly slower release routes into the flats. From there, McBride got to work, quickly advancing down the field with stiff arms past opposing defenders.
McBride can use his physicality to pull guys off the ball, but he also has enough power at the top of his routes to get past defenders and gain separation. That’s an area he has room to improve, but McBride has the athleticism to continue to perfect that area.
I don’t think McBride is a bad blocker, but his athletic limitations show when he’s at the point of attack. However, he can be a really good blocker when he’s in space at linebacker or in the secondary. Arizona has used him as both an in-line and detached blocker, but he’s at his best when he’s in space.
McBride is quickly on his way to stardom at the tight end position, especially if the Cardinals’ offense continues to develop like it did last year. What I found most interesting about Arizona is their utilization of the 12-man. They were 15th in 12-man percentage, according to Summer Sports, but 9th in total EPA by that personnel. After Murray returned, the Cardinals’ positive play rate in 12-man situations jumped to 9th in the entire NFL. That’s especially impressive considering the QB situation before Murray got healthy.
You may be wondering why there is so much emphasis on the 12-man lineup. It’s because the Cardinals drafted a guy named Marvin Harrison Jr. You may have heard of him before. Here’s what he does:
With Harrison and rising wide receiver Michael Wilson on the field, Arizona has a ton of versatile, dynamic targets, including McBride. McBride may not be the best player at stretching the field vertically, but the presence of Wilson and Harrison Jr. gives Arizona the ability to play a true matchup game, providing lanes for McBride to take on linebackers and safeties. McBride, who already has a strong rapport with Murray, has limitless potential and could be the NFL’s next elite tight end in 2024.
