Jonathan Gannon and the Kyler Murray-led Arizona Cardinals are not having the ideal start to their season. They are currently 2nd in the NFC West despite losing two games and just winning one. However, their recent loss to Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions may have been more costly than expected. Being on the short end of a game that ended with a 20-13 scoreline is one thing but seeing Trey McBride go down with an injury is another.

Kyler Murray is going to lose a key blocker and receiver for quite a while. Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals have decided to place Trey McBride into concussion protocol after his rough incident during the Lions game, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

As of the moment, the next man up in the Cardinals depth chart is Elijah Higgins. He could be starting at the tight end spot until McBride fully recovers and is cleared from any sort of damage.

Did Trey McBride produce big numbers before going down in Cardinals vs. Lions?

Related Arizona Cardinals NewsArticle continues below
Arizona Cardinals 3 best trade targets to round out 2025 roster
Arizona Cardinals 3 best trade targets to round out 2025 roster
Michigan Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson is introduced before the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field.
Will Johnson promises haters will ‘pay for this s**t’ after draft slide
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Cardinals’ Ideal Free Agent Fit Could Be Amari Cooper
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) catches a pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter at State Farm Stadium.
Michael Chow-Arizona Republic

The short answer is no. Jonathan Gannon and the coaching staff have been opting to use McBride as either a decoy or a blocker in their offensive schemes. This does not mean that he does not get the ball at all. Often, when Kyler Murray needs a bailout option, McBride receives passes and it happened in their clash against the Lions.

The Cardinals' tight end notched three receptions in the few snaps that he played. He was able to deliver a total of 25 yards for his squad which is almost always a first down when averaging his gains. His role is likely going to stay the same because Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson have been the squad's top receivers in the season. Hopefully, he is able to have a speedy recovery and make it back in time to impact games more.