The offseason brings rankings and lists, and Pro Football Focus has ranked the top 101 players in the NFL based on the 2024 season. While at the time of publishing, all but the top 10 were revealed, three Arizona Cardinals players made the cut.
The highest-ranked player on the Cardinals should be no surprise — it is tight end Trey McBride. He comes in at No. 42, the third-highest-ranked tight end, excluding the yet unknown top 10 players. The only tight ends above him are Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 40 and San Francisco’s George Kittle at No. 13.
McBride set a new NFL record this season as he didn’t score a touchdown once on his first 97 catches. While he lacked end-zone production, he was still one of the best tight ends in the league.
He was second among all tight ends in PFF grade (86.8), receptions (111), receiving yards (1,146) and yards after the catch (526). McBride finished the year as the most valuable tight end in the league according to PFF’s WAR metric.
McBride had the best tight end season the Cardinals have ever seen. He was the most consistent part of the passing offense, aside from the almost comical inability of him and quarterback Kyler Murray to connect in the end zone.
He is a complete tight end whose work as a blocker is not praised enough. He rarely left the field last season, logging 934 total offensive snaps.
The best part is that what he did last season doesn’t even feel like it is the best he has to offer.
That’s the fun part. Expected to land a contract extension, Cardinals fans should see top-end production from him for years.
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