Trey McBride: Cardinals Are Close to Playoff Status

Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride says the team is close to emerging as a postseason contender.

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals are close.

After the organization hit the reset button and hired head coach Jonathan Gannon/general manager Monti Ossenfort in the 2023 offseason, the Cardinals showed considerable improvement in 2024 by doubling their win total.

Now, entering an offseason with roughly $70 million in cap space and picks in the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cardinals have ample opportunity to push themselves to new heights.

The postseason appeared to be in Arizona's grasp after a 6-4 start to 2024 and first-place positioning in the NFC West, though the Cardinals collapsed down the second half of the season and were eliminated before the final week of the regular season.

Star tight end Trey McBride says the Cardinals are on the cusp of kicking down the postseason door.

"From where we've come the last couple years to where we are now, we've grown significantly. I think we have a great head coach, a great G.M., and I think they're building the program and the culture the right way," McBride told Bleacher Report.

"I'm excited to see what they do this next draft and who they bring in and how they change the team up. We're closer than I've ever been, and I'm excited to make the playoffs the next couple years and be a force to be reckoned with in this league."

The Cardinals' last postseason appearance came in 2021 with their last victory in the playoffs coming in 2015.

"I'd like to still be playing and be in the playoffs, and obviously we didn't get that done as a team," McBride continued. "But to have the individual success that I had was very exciting. Just to know that I can compete and be an elite player in this league. At the same time, I'm excited for next year. We're a lot closer than people think, and hopefully next year we can make a playoff run because that's what is most important."

McBride certainly isn't the only person in the facility to have that belief, as Gannon offered the following after being eliminated from the playoffs:

"When we play our brand of ball, I think we can compete and beat anybody. But, again that doesn't count. It's about winning and losing. I just got to do a better job, you know? But I know they're battling. They're doing the right things. They're having enthusiasm about their job when they come in the building," Gannon said.

"I know we're close, man. I know it's hard to see that. For me that's hard to take on the chin, but we'll get better from it. We'll get better."

There's plenty of optimism around the Cardinals, bleeding from the top down.