Why Trey McBride believes Marvin Harrison Jr. ‘can be a force' for Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals were competitive in 2024, but they will be looking to take another step forward and become a playoff team next season with Kyler Murray at the helm. Murray is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league, and he has two very good weapons to get the ball to in tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
A lot has been made about McBride's struggles finding the end zone during his three-year career, but he is clearly one of the best tight ends in football. Despite scoring just two touchdowns last season, McBride caught 111 balls on 147 targets for 1,146 yards and was a great security blanket for Murray all year.
A second-year leap from Harrison would take some of the pressure off of both McBride and Murray, and the former Colorado State tight end thinks that Arizona fans are going to see that this fall.
'I don't want any part of that,' McBride said, smiling, via ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. 'No, he's a hard worker, man. There's no doubt about it. He puts the work in every single day. I've seen him every day in the offseason, working out together. He's a stud. He's young, he's growing into his body still, and man, I'm excited to see him take the next level. He's a guy who can be a force to reckon with, and I'm excited to see him grow with Kyler and to grow in this offense and to be a stud.'
The discourse around Harrison's rookie season for the Cardinals was worse than it actually turned out to be statistically, but he will still be looking for improvement in year two. He caught 62 balls on 116 targets last season for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, putting up that level of production despite some synergy issues with Murray.
Now, Harrison and his quarterback have had another offseason to work together and build some more chemistry on the field together. The former Ohio State star still has all of the talent and polish that he showed in college, and he will have plenty of chances to show that off in 2025. If McBride's assessment of his offseason is any indication, defenses should watch out for Harrison in his second season.
Related: Cardinals' Marvin Harrison Jr. reveals big change that led to body transformation
Related: Cardinals head coach provides discouraging injury update on 1st-round pick
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