The Cardinals have a tight end who they believe is one of the best in the league in what he does, and vital to what they do as an offense.
It isn't – at least in this case – Trey McBride.
It is blocking tight end Tip Reiman.
"He may not be the first pick on a fantasy team," offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said. "But on an NFL team trying to win games, his ability in that role is important."
To this, Reiman smiles. McBride gets the headlines, as he should. A rookie season with six catches isn't going to garner a lot of attention outside the locker room.
"I try not to put too much weight into my own stuff," Reiman said. "It's 11 guys on the field. It is less glamorous than being on the top of a lot of lists. But I'm OK with that. I love my role. I love my job.
"Being the best at it is my goal. Being the best that anyone has ever played it at, that's my goal. Being the best 'Y' tight end in the league is my goal."
The Cardinals like to run the ball, and they do it well. They were second in rush yards per play in 2023 and fourth in rushing yards per game. Last season, they were seventh in rushing yards per game and again second in rushing yards per play.
James Conner is coming off his best rushing season of his career, and second-year running back Trey Benson has been dynamic in camp and the preseason, showing off his ability to perform when Conner isn’t in the game (or maybe sometimes when they both are.)
"Anytime you are able to put force into grown men who are the best in the world on a given team, you take pride in that as a man, not even as an offensive line," left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. said.
"To be able to watch people not really want to stand on the field as you keep getting first downs, that's the fun part. That's what you want to earn."
The physical nature of the game is inherent in every aspect. Johnson said he likes pass blocking more because of the one-on-one nature of the play. But it's in the run game in which the line exhibits its dominance, a perfect place for the "motor and violence" to which coach Jonathan Gannon often refers.
As the season draws near, Johnson said he can see McBride – known for his receiving but a better blocker than perhaps he is credited – upping his "intent" in the run game to Tip Reiman levels.
And it is Reiman, the 2024 third-round pick chosen to be the battering ram and occasional pass catcher, whom the offensive line seeks to match.
"We're all trying to get as many plays on tape like Tip," Johnson said, defending Reiman's flag-producing block against the Chiefs in the preseason opener. "That's the kind of stuff you watch on tape. We want to show execution, but you want to show playing hard and finish guys. We want to be able to beat Tip out on the knockdowns, and he's trying to beat the line. It's more competition."
Reiman invoked Bruce Arians' famous mantra when it comes to his own game – you'd rather say 'whoa' than 'sic 'em' to a player – and acknowledged in the run game, prisoners will not be taken.
"There is a fine line for sure," Reiman said. "Fines and penalties are not what we are chasing after. But sending a message to another team and leading through action and displaying a lack of fear to my teammates is huge to me."
No, Reiman isn't going to be a top fantasy pick. But Conner will be. Perhaps Benson too. That's because of what the Cardinals running game will be, and the Cardinals will be able to run in part because of the guy at the end of the line clearing the way.
"As I get more comfortable in my second year, I can think a little less about the schematic and technical parts and let myself be who I am," Reiman said. "Aggressive, mean, violent, lot of effort, lot of motor. That's who I am."
