The Cardinals have finally acquired a star wideout for Kyler Murray in Marvin Harrison Jr. While injuries have impacted his progress after three stellar seasons, the absence of quality weapons hasn’t helped Murray’s cause. Harrison Jr. will certainly play a crucial role in revitalizing the offense, but it turns out Arizona has another secret weapon in its arsenal: Trey McBride.
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In the latest episode of the Athletic Football Show, Shawn Syed and Robert Mays discussed the lingering questions about the NFC West. While talking about the Cardinals, they raved about McBride’s presence on that struggling offense.
Since being drafted in 2022, McBride has come a long way. In addition to putting up 825 yards as a tight end last season, he has excelled in his responsibilities as a blocker down the line of scrimmage, something that often gets overlooked.
He is also an excellent route runner for his position, boasting a higher on-target catch percentage than 49ers TE George Kittle. Moreover, he was ranked first in first downs per route run and in targets as a tight end, while also getting ranked second in the league in yards per route run.
“I keep falling deeper and deeper in love with the idea of Trey McBride here, where he’s a willing enough blocker. McBride, he was second in the league in yards per route run. He had a higher on-target catch percentage than George Kittle. You can get him in all these different routes. I think if you throw him in, you’re getting some development there.”
DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, and Rondale Moore have all departed from Arizona over the last two seasons, leaving the franchise short in the receiving department. While Harrison Jr. is guaranteed to be a star and put up big numbers like Justin Jefferson, McBride will play a crucial role as a run blocker as well as a pass catcher if Murray has the ability to utilize him correctly.
Unlocking Trey McBride’s Potential Sits In Kyler Murray’s Hands
Kyler Murray is a great dual-threat QB and an excellent athlete. However, according to Shawn Syed and Robert Mays, the QB has often been criticized for lack of arm strength and shorter stature, which affects his ability to throw in the middle of the field between 10 to 20-yard range. When attempting to access that middle area last year, he appeared uncomfortable, throwing three crucial picks there.
“Kyler Murray, he just doesn’t love the intermediate, middle of the field area. He had three interceptions last year in that area. That kind of 10 and 20, between the kind of hashes, between the numbers area.”
Murray also has trouble going through progressions and often misses open receivers in the middle of the field. Every NFL QB should be able to make those tough throws over the middle, but defenses know this weakness of his and often blitz him, knowing he would miss his receivers.
A good shot-caller knows when to adjust the play based on defensive formation. Murray’s inability to read pre-snap often leads to poor decisions and bad mechanics.
The Cardinals have sunk $230 million into Murray, but so far, he has had little to show for it. The team has made only one playoff appearance with him as their QB, and his performance in that game was disastrous. Despite having the fifth-highest average annual salary among the QBs, his results have been underwhelming.
