Arizona Cardinals Should Not Trade Marvin Harrison Jr. Now
- has drawn trade monitoring from around the NFL amid a slow start to his third professional season, arizonaSports.com reported.
- National analysts have noted that teams are watching the wide receiver's situation in Arizona.
- Before catching five targets in a recent outing, Harrison had managed just four targets total across the first two games of the season.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has drawn trade monitoring from around the NFL amid a slow start to his third professional season, arizonaSports.com reported. Through three games, the 2024 fourth overall pick has recorded four catches for 73 yards and zero touchdowns on nine targets.
ESPN Reporters Highlight Trade Monitoring
National analysts have noted that teams are watching the wide receiver’s situation in Arizona. ESPN reporters Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano brought up the trade chatter after Harrison’s output failed to match expectations following the arrival of offensive-minded head coach Mike LaFleur. LaFleur initially compared the former Ohio State player to Davante Adams upon taking the job.
Before catching five targets in a recent outing, Harrison had managed just four targets total across the first two games of the season. Effort questions have also surfaced following Arizona’s loss to Seattle, where the wideout appeared slow off the line and unengaged during run-blocking assignments. Those lapses sparked speculation regarding whether the player was unhappy with his role in an offense where tight end Trey McBride, wide receiver Michael Wilson, and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love have carried much of the early load.
General Manager Monti Ossenfort Faces Roster Decisions
Moving the former top-five pick for a late-round return would represent a failure for general manager Monti Ossenfort, according to league evaluations. Fowler reported that interested teams could look to test the waters with offers centered around a quality Day 3 pick. However, moving Harrison for anything less than a Day 1 or high Day 2 selection would return pennies on the dollar for premium draft capital.
Graziano reported Friday that the Cardinals have not indicated any interest in trading Harrison at this stage of the season. The team sits only three games into the LaFleur era, and offensive production naturally fluctuates among playmakers. Kendrick Bourne saw his target counts shift from eight in Week 1 down to six over the subsequent two weeks, demonstrating standard seasonal ebbs and flows.
Larry Fitzgerald Offers Veteran Advice
Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald addressed the situation this week on the Rich Eisen Show, offering straightforward guidance for the struggling young pass catcher. Fitzgerald advised Harrison to put the blinders on, block out the external noise, and focus strictly on football.
Put the blinders on, block out the noise and focus on football. Everything else will work itself out.
Larry Fitzgerald
Rather than engaging with trade inquiries, the Cardinals are prioritizing ways to get Harrison involved at a more consistent rate. Boosting his target share is expected to help both his statistics and his on-field engagement. The only scenario where Arizona would seriously entertain a deal before the trade deadline is if persistent effort issues continue to surface alongside low production.