Cardinals TE Leads NFL in This Category

Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride has the safest hands in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride warms up before their game against the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 21, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals have found some strong success in recent games, winning their last four matchups and entering their bye week as leaders in the NFC West.

The Cardinals' offense has really found their groove, scoring 28 or more points in their last three games with nearly everybody contributing.

Kyler Murray continues to play at a MVP level. James Conner keeps the offense humming through the ground and Marvin Harrison Jr. is tied for fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns.

Then, there's Trey McBride.

McBride - entering his first season as a full-time starter - had high hopes of taking the next step and becoming one of the best tight ends in football.

So far, so good.

McBride currently leads the Cardinals in receptions (49), targets (65) and yards (552) despite not having a receiving touchdown on the year - though he does have a fumble recovered for a touchdown while also rushing another in on a tight end reverse/sweep.

McBride is top five in receptions/targets/yards for tight ends, though he is number one in the league in one category.

According to PFF, McBride has the most targets (61) without a drop this season.

Most Targets Without a Drop this Season:

🔥 Trey McBride - 61 pic.twitter.com/fSLOKAEjzV

— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) November 12, 2024

Murray believes his security blanket is the best in the business.

“I think he’s the best. I’m not trying to get ahead of myself or anything or put any pressure on him. I know the work that he’s put in. I know what type of athlete he is, what type of player he is. It is good to see that people are taking notice of what he does each and every week when the ball is in his hands," Murray said after their recent win.

McBride as seen as a "luxury" pick when he was taken on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft under previous general manager Steve Keim, and after a tough rookie season, McBride burst on the scene after Zach Ertz was injured in 2023 and hasn't looked back.

"It's funny, I get drafted, no one knows who I am and every Cardinal fan hates me because, 'Why did we draft a tight end in the second round?' And then three years later they all love me and I'm like the greatest thing," said McBride to ESPN.

"It's just funny how it all works."

Head coach Jonathan Gannon sang high praises of McBride on Sunday.

"He's elite with the ball in his hands. I keep telling you guys this and no one believes me. The guy is elite with the ball in his hands. He can jump over you, he can break tackles, he can run by you, he can make you miss, and he's a big guy that runs really fast with good contact balance and he's hard to bring down. From day one (with) the passing game, he's a guy that the passing game's going to go through. He's executing, and he's playing well right now.”

McBride does a little bit of everything at a high level, but most of all he's one of the more reliable pair of hands in the league.