The Cardinals will require more offensive firepower to keep up in a daunting NFC West.
Tight end Trey McBride believes No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love can provide them with some.
"That dude's a f------ stud," McBride said recently on the Bussin' With The Boys . "He's a stud, man. Just the few practices that we had together, his route running and his ability to f------ making plays is pretty cool. I'm excited to have him on our side for sure."
Love went so early in the 2026 draft, even to a rebuilding team with needs elsewhere, precisely because of the qualities McBride has already seen in him during the offseason program.
The running back accumulated 3,014 scrimmage yards with 40 touchdowns over his last two years at Notre Dame while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. He's a danger on both handoffs and dump-offs, and along with free-agent addition Tyler Allgeier and veteran James Conner should vastly improve Arizona's anemic 31st-ranked running operation from a season ago.
Though Love brings plenty of excitement as the Cardinals look to rebound from a dismal three-win 2025 season, the question marks at quarterback have hung some gloom over Arizona's offensive prospects overall.
Jacoby Brissett showed up for mandatory minicamp but is still seeking a new contract. Gardner Minshew provides another veteran option in the room, but neither is likely to be a long-term answer in the desert. Third-round rookie Carson Beck will have a season to insert himself into the equation before the Cardinals reevaluate the position ahead of next year's draft.
For what it's worth, McBride has been impressed with the young QB, as well.
"He looks like a tight end," he said. "I'm like s---, bigger than me, you know? But, no, he's a stud. He throws the ball really well. I think he has a chance to be a really good player in this league."
McBride added: "I don't know about [starting] Week 1 unless something crazy happens, but he definitely has a chance to be a guy for sure."
When it comes to studs, the Cardinals will very much be hoping this is a case of "takes one to know one," as McBride has been the most studly of tight ends over the past couple years, racking up 237 catches for 2,385 yards and 13 touchdowns while making two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro team since 2024.
His heroics, though unable to lift the Cardinals from the divisional cellar, led to his four-year, $76 million extension with Arizona in April -- at the time making him the league's highest-paid tight end before being surpassed by the 49ers' George Kittle weeks later.
Heading into his fifth season, McBride has started stacking accolades and achieved financial security. In the next phase of his career, he hopes team success follows, perhaps with the help of promising newcomers such as Love and Beck.
"When the opportunity presented itself to stay with Arizona and sign the record-breaking deal at the time, it was pretty cool to do," McBride said. "I was all for it. I love Arizona, man, there's nothing about the place that I hate. I obviously wish we won more games, but it's a special place. I love being there. S---, hopefully we'll turn it around."
