Who’re this 12 months’s potential breakout gamers within the NFL? Now we have you coated. The following participant in our sequence is Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride.
The NFL tight finish revolution is occurring.
Because the league tries to get extra versatile chess items on the sphere, the function of the tight finish is increasing. The previous guard such because the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and the 49ers’ George Kittle are nonetheless on the prime of their recreation, whereas newcomers equivalent to Lions’ tight finish Sam LaPorta and Browns tight finish David Njoku are rising by the ranks into the league’s elite.
Arizona Cardinals tight finish Trey McBride is able to be part of them. If his 2024 is something like his end in 2023, he’ll make his means into the elite ranks on the place. A significant a part of this breakout is QB Kyler Murray coming again into type. After Murray returned in Week 10 of 2023, McBride really hit his McStride, ending the season third in targets and yards amongst tight ends, and completed within the prime three in Yards per Route Run amongst all tight ends (min. 20 targets). McBride is a favourite goal of Murray, and their rapport as Murray returned again to type was tremendous enjoyable to look at.
Regardless of not having lengthy arms or wingspan (forty fourth percentile wingspan and twenty sixth percentile arm size), McBride is de facto good with the ball within the air. It is because he has good timing on his jumps and may at all times get to the ball at its’ highest level, and is powerful sufficient to battle by contact on the catch level. Amongst all targets deemed not on course by Sports activities Data Options, McBride was third in catches, showcasing a capability to make his QB proper, it doesn’t matter what the circumstance is. Watch him modify to this ball within the air with a DB draped on him. McBride is ready to find the ball and highpoint it and regardless of not having the longest arms, he can safe this catch.
Not solely is that this a profit for the Cardinals downfield on vertical targets, however on catches close to the sideline, McBride has such good focus that he can prolong his physique and haul in powerful catches on the sideline. McBride is really a QB’s greatest buddy downfield and is usually a severe chain mover for the Cardinals offense.
I imply, this can be a nice catch by contact close to the sideline. McBride swats the palms right down to get a step on the defender, and the focus to deliver this catch in by contact is de facto spectacular.
The place I used to be most shocked by McBride in his 2023 marketing campaign was how a lot wiggle he has. After Murray got here again into the lineup he tied for second in Yards After the Catch and on all the season he completed fifth amongst tight ends in YAC. He’s so bodily each after the catch and whereas working routes that it kinda masks his fluidity and coordination with the ball in his palms. McBride ran the fourth-most screens amongst tight ends within the NFL, and plenty of his targets had been on these screens and little late launch routes into the flat. From there, McBride would go to work, stiff-arming opposing defenders and getting upfield instantly.
McBride can use his physicality to jar opponents off the ball, however he has sufficient juice on the prime of his path to snap off defenders and create separation. Whereas that a part of his recreation can enhance, McBride has the athletic instruments to proceed to spherical out that a part of his recreation.
As a blocker, I believe McBride is ok, however a few of his athletic limitations present up when he’s on the level of assault. Nevertheless, when he’s in area on linebackers and the secondary, he is usually a actually good blocker. Arizona used him in each an in-line and indifferent spot as a blocker, however when he’s out in area he’s at his greatest.
McBride is on the quick monitor to stardom on the tight finish place, particularly if the Cardinals’ offense continues to develop as they did final 12 months. What I discovered essentially the most attention-grabbing about Arizona was their utilization of 12 personnel. They completed fifteenth in 12 personnel charge based on Sumer Sports activities, however completed ninth in complete EPA out of that personnel. After Murray got here again, the Cardinals Optimistic Play Charge out of 12 jumped as much as ninth in all the NFL, a powerful quantity particularly contemplating the place they had been at QB earlier than Murray acquired wholesome.
Why is 12 personnel being harped on a lot, you may ask? Effectively, the Cardinals drafted this man named Marvin Harrison Jr. You may’ve heard of him. He does issues like this:
So, now with Harrison and ascending wideout Michael Wilson on the sphere, Arizona has a bunch of versatile and dynamic targets, together with McBride. Whereas McBride may not be essentially the most dominant vertical area stretcher, having Wilson and Harrison Jr. will open up the lanes in between for McBride to work in opposition to linebackers and safeties, and Arizona can really play the matchup recreation. Having already established a robust relationship with Murray, the sky is the restrict for McBride, who may finish 2024 as the following elite tight finish within the NFL.