What the Cardinals keeping 4 tight ends mean for the offense?

How the extra tight end will help the Cardinals offense:

The additional tight end could mean that offensive coordinator Drew Petzing would want to run more 13 personnel with his offense. Having three tight ends in one play would have eight possible blockers for the running back. The formation is more old school, but does fit the team’s offensive philosophy of a hardnose rushing attack with backs like James Conner and Trey Benson.

The trio of McBride, Reiman and Vokolek have an average height of 6’5 and weight of around 260 pounds. Adding three capable blockers onto an offensive line that was one of the best running offenses in league will do wonders.

Arizona wide receiver is top heavy, with a hard drop off in quality after Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Running 13 personnel would only have one of Harrison or Wilson on the field, which could work to get them in a one-on-one opportunity.

Running plays with three tight ends will do wonders for play action. The defense will be fully focused on stopping the run by loading eight in the box, it could open the door for play action with Harrison running a go-route on a one-on-one or McBride on a cross when the defense collapses.

The Cardinals were second in 13 personnel usage rate last season at 14.48%, behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers. The percentage will likely go up, with the team trying to hone in on their strengths as it tries to make a playoff push for the first time since 2021.