The Chargers are set to take on the Cardinals in their Week 1 matchup of the 2026 season.
After a long, grueling offseason, the Chargers will look to establish themselves as one of the league's best teams. Their first test of the season will be against Arizona, a team that is projected to be among the worst in the NFL.
However, none of that is going to matter once the ball is kicked off at 1:25 p.m. PT, especially with the Cardinals having one of the best playmakers in the league, tight end Trey McBride.
McBride had a strong 2025 season and will look to build on it in 2026. He presents a challenging matchup for the Chargers, and no one knows that better than Chris O'Leary.
O'Leary spoke about the challenges of stopping the Cardinals offense and
emphasized that McBride is a multifaceted threat because he can stretch the field, block, and win physical matchups.
He can do it all," O'Learysaid of McBride. "He’s going to be physical, he’s going to run past you, he’s good with his route stems…That’s what makes him tough to defend.”
McBride presents a ton of problems for the Chargers defense. His talent alone is a tough matchup.
Last season, McBride set a new NFL single-season record for tight ends, surpassing Zach Ertz's 116 with 126 receptions. As for how the Chargers handled tight ends, they ranked near the bottom, 27th in DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) against the position.
That number was under Jesse Minter. O'Leary is now tasked with calling the plays on defense, and he'll look to answer the call on Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: What Chargers' Chris O'Leary said about defending TE Trey McBride
