How did Trey McBride perform for the Arizona Cardinals last season?

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It’s the dawn of a new era for the Arizona Cardinals. Former Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator is set to take over the reins of the team following years of shortcomings under the Kliff Kingsbury administration.

Moreover, this year could be tough for Cardinals fans. Star QB Kyler Murray suffered a significant injury late in the season so that he could miss at least half of the campaign, all but dooming their postseason chances.

But not everything’s negative in the desert. If anything, this season will allow the young players to step up and showcase their skills, as former second-round picks Trey McBride. Born in Greeley, he was raised in Colorado and if you live in the Centennial state you can visit ClutchBet and place a prop bet on the Cardinals QB.

The star TE out of Colorado State was the highest-rated prospect in that position last year in the NFL Draft. Still, he wasn’t an obvious fit in Arizona. Then, even though they were leaning towards revamping their defense, they just couldn’t overlook his talents.

Kingsbury and General Manager Steve Keim agreed that he was their guy, but now both of them are gone, and his future with the Cardinals organization could be in jeopardy, according to several insiders, and he’s also aware of that:

“Yeah, you know I’ve gone through a coaching change before in college, so it’s not anything that I’m not used to,” McBride said of his situation. “But at the same time, these were the guys who believed in me, these were the guys who felt comfortable and drafted me, so I give all my thanks and credit to those guys and I’m really sad that it didn’t work out here for them.”

McBride didn’t Want Kingsbury to be fired

Even so, and despite Zach Ertz’s arrival and presence, McBride saw more snaps late in the season and made sure to make the most of the expanded opportunities. He developed a close relationship with Kingsbury, so he didn’t like to see him leave:

“I loved having him as a coach,” the youngster said. “He was unbelievable, and he taught me so much and really believed in me and gave me the opportunity to play. So, I’m very grateful and thankful for him.

At the end of the day, it’s a bottom-line business and if you don’t win, that’s what’s going to happen. This year we didn’t win and that’s unfortunate. I would love to continue playing for him, but as I said, it’s a bottom-line business and if you’re not going to win football games, it’s hard to stay in this business.”

Kingsbury made it a point of emphasis to develop McBride’s skills and talents. He never hesitated to get on his face and show him some tough love, but he also had an open-door policy and wanted to mentor the youngster.

Even so, Kingsbury had already outstayed his welcome in Arizona. The team had every weapon they needed to thrive, yet they always found ways to underperform in the second half of every single season.

The best is ahead

McBride’s rookie numbers weren’t exactly flashy. He hauled in 39 receptions for 265 yards and one score. Even so, he proved that he was worthy of a longer leash once Ertz fell out for the season, even outplaying veteran teammate Maxx Williams.

So, even if Murray isn’t ready to play at the same level next season, McBride is expected to have a prominent role in the Cardinals’ passing game in 2023. His team might not be that good with whomever they got under center for the first half of the campaign, but he’ll have plenty of chances to make a mark in this league.