Ahead of the November 10 trade deadline, the Arizona Cardinals have already shown a willingness to make moves in the trade market. Arizona recently sent quarterback Jacoby Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick. At the same time, however, the Cardinals now have Gardner Minshew running the offense. That’s exactly why, when it comes to the tight end position, Arizona appears reluctant to trade its best offensive player.
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Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals have received calls from multiple NFL teams regarding tight end Trey McBride. However, Arizona has no interest in parting ways with the 26-year-old star. One of the teams reportedly interested is the Denver Broncos, but according to Schefter, the “Cardinals made it very clear they have zero intention of trading McBride.”
The report came at a time when quarterback Bo Nix has multiple talented offensive weapons in Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton. However, the Broncos have struggled to find consistent production from their tight end room. For broader context, Denver signed Evan Engram on a two-year, $23 million deal last year.
While the veteran TE finished the 2025 season with 50 receptions for 461 yards and one touchdown, his performance has been disappointing through the first eight games of the season. So far, Engram has recorded just 13 receptions on 25 targets for 136 yards and one touchdown. Behind him, Nate Adkins managed only 44 yards on 6 receptions, while also adding three touchdowns.
But at the same time, the Broncos are 6-2 heading into the Week 9 matchup. Certainly, Sean Payton’s unit is looking to bolster the offense to contend for the Super Bowl. So, it’s not hard to understand the team’s interest in Trey McBride.
Meanwhile, the Broncos had already seen McBride’s performance during their Week 7 matchup against the Cardinals. While Denver defeated Arizona 30-16, McBride had the best game of the season, as he caught 10 receptions on 13 targets for 111 yards and one touchdown.
Across eight games this season, the 26-year-old tight end has tallied 544 yards and is currently leading the league in receptions with 66. He has also scored 5 touchdowns so far this season. A former second-round pick, McBride has 413 receptions for 4019 yards and 22 touchdowns to his name in his NFL career.
But the Cardinals’ decision not to trade Trey McBride wasn’t just because of his strong production. The team signed McBride to a four-year contract extension worth $76 million with $43 million guaranteed in April 2025. According to Over The Cap, a trade before the deadline would leave Arizona with approximately $26.8 million in dead money, compared with an $8.7 million cap hit if it kept him.
Certainly, that was a major financial reason for the Cardinals not to make the trade. That said, as Arizona prepares for its Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, the team will still have its current reception leader on the roster. Meanwhile, with the Broncos looking to improve their offense against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, they have moved on from Trey McBride’s pursuit.