ESPN Reporter Says NFL Executives Are Watching for a Cardinals Trade of Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison has one catch for 33 yards through two games despite playing 77% of Arizona's snaps, and ESPN says rival executives are already taking notice.

by Neal Coolong

Sep 23, 2026

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18)

Two games into the Mike LaFleur era, Marvin Harrison Jr. has one catch. One grab for 33 yards on four targets, and the 2024 No. 4 overall pick didn’t catch a pass in Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Seahawks. For a receiver drafted to be the centerpiece of the offense, that is a problem. And the rest of the league is predictably paying attention.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported Wednesday that executives around the NFL are wondering whether Arizona could explore a Harrison trade before the Nov. 10 deadline. Graziano noted that Harrison becomes extension-eligible after this season and that the Cardinals “would have a hard time paying him” based on what he has shown so far. Harrison is under contract through 2027, but Arizona must decide on his fifth-year option for 2028 next spring.

Why the Cardinals might actually listen

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18)

The case for a deal starts with the numbers. Harrison posted 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, then slipped to 41 catches for 608 yards and four scores in an injury-riddled 2025 season that limited him to 12 games. This offseason, Arizona handed fellow receiver Michael Wilson a three-year, $75 million extension after his first 1,000-yard season. Tight end Trey McBride, meanwhile, already has 17 catches on 23 targets.

Harrison’s usage is the strangest part. He has played 77 percent of the offensive snaps but drawn just four targets. LaFleur doesn’t sound worried. “It’s a long season — we’re two games in,” the first-year head coach said Monday, adding that some missed chances came from what defenses allowed and some were self-inflicted.

The passing game hasn’t given anyone much to work with, either. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for 95 yards on 28 attempts against Seattle, and with rookie running back Jeremiyah Love in the backfield, Arizona has plenty of other places to go with the ball.

Harrison is still only 24, and the talent that made him a top-five pick hasn’t disappeared. But the Cardinals visit the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, and every quiet week between now and November will add fuel to the chatter. One big game could change the conversation just as quickly.