The Arizona Cardinals’ season is over and now it is time to dole out some awards. The NFL has announced some awards as Pro Bowl rosters were announced and All-Pro teams have been named.
We have named the Cardinals’ MVP, their defensive player of the year and their rookie of the year.
Who was the Cardinals’ breakout player of the year in 2023?
This is an easy answer. The only player you can choose is second-year tight end Trey McBride.
McBride set single-season records for tight ends for the franchise.
He set a single-season franchise record for receptions by a tight end with 81, blowing away the previous record of 56. He did that after starting the season with only eight receptions in the first five games.
Based on his production over his final 10 games of the season, if he had done that over the entire season, he would have had 112 catches for over 1,100 yards.
His 825 receiving yards were second only in franchise history to Hall of Famer Jackie Smith’s 1,205 receiving yards by a tight end in 1967.
He emerged as one of the best tight ends in the league. He needs to do it over an entire season in 2024, but if he does, he will deserve recognition with George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews as one of the best in the NFL.
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