Cardinals’ Trey McBride embracing challenge to become top-tier tight end

National Football League

Published Jul. 3, 2024 11:21 a.m. ET

Trey McBride got an up-close look at some of the NFL’s best recently at “Tight End University” in Nashville, hosted by George Kittle, Travis Kelce and FOX Sports analyst and ex-NFL Pro Bowler Greg Olsen.

Kittle and Kelce are considered the gold standard among current tight ends, and McBride said he took copious mental notes watching the two work at Vanderbilt University.

“It was cool to learn how those guys see the game,” McBride said. “What they look for, what they do when they run routes — kind of see what goes on in their brain.”

Kittle offered a few words of praise for McBride, an up-and-coming tight end entering his third season with the Cardinals.

“Trey McBride from Arizona is a young guy who had a great year last year and is just going to keep getting better,” said Kittle, when asked to name some of the young tight ends ready to take over the mantle as best in the league.

McBride certainly flashed the ability to post big numbers last season. The Colorado State product finished with 81 receptions for 825 yards and three touchdowns on 106 targets. His 81 receptions were a single-season franchise record for catches by a tight end.

He had an uptick in his numbers when Kyler Murray returned from his knee injury, posting 53 catches for 538 receiving yards and two touchdowns from Week 10 to the end of the regular season. Only Jaguars TE Evan Engram had more catches (63) over that period last season.

McBride, 24, should benefit from a full offseason working with a healthy Murray in OC Drew Petzing’s offense. McBride said he’s been getting together with Murray and the rest of Arizona’s offensive playmakers to develop better chemistry heading into training camp.

“Kyler’s been very good about bringing guys together, working out, outside of football,” McBride said. “He’s been a great leader. And I’m super excited because this has been as close as I’ve felt this offense has been since I’ve been here.

“The sky’s the limit for this offense. There are so many weapons. There are so many different people that can make plays. I’m super excited — Mike Wilson, Marvin [Harrison Jr.], Greg Dortch — all these different weapons. It’s going to be cool to see how Petzing uses all of us.”

McBride said one of his personal goals this season is reaching the 1,000-yard receiving mark.

“It was close last year, but I think that maybe it’s realistic this year,” he said.

Another goal is a bit more ambiguous: developing into a complete tight end like Kelce and Kittle.

To do that, McBride must stay on the field more and develop into a better run blocker. He played all 17 games last season but didn’t emerge as the team’s starter until a Zach Ertz quad injury put McBride into the lineup in Week 8. Overall, he played 69% of Arizona’s offensive snaps.

The Cardinals later waived Ertz, clearing the path for McBride as the long-term starter. And the more McBride remains on the field, the more opportunities he’ll have to contribute on offense.

The Cardinals averaged 139 rushing yards a contest last season, No. 4 in the NFL. Veteran back James Conner finished No. 6 in the NFL with 1,040 rushing yards in 2023.

“To be able to block really helps you get open more than you think,” McBride said. “And it keeps you on the field for more plays. It’s very important and something that I embrace. To be a complete tight end in this league is very hard, but it’s something I strive to do every day.”

Petzing believes McBride is willing to put in the work to develop into a more finished product.

“We put a lot on that position, both mentally and physically,” Petzing said. “And I think he’s done a really good job of embracing that and wanting to be really good at it. Certainly, you see his skill set in the passing game. That’s always what fantasy football owners love. That’s what gets you on ‘SportsCenter’ and those type of things.

“But I think at the end of the day, that position for this offense to be successful requires a lot more than that. And his willingness, without question, to do some of the dirty work that’s not going to get noticed, that’s not going to put him in the headlines, has been really impressive.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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