The Houston Texans got their first win of the season and a new target for C.J. Stroud in the same afternoon. DeMeco Ryans confirmed the Marvin Harrison Jr. trade after Sunday’s 26-3 win over Tennessee, and the deal was announced Monday, pending a physical. Houston sent 2027 second- and seventh-round picks to Arizona for Harrison and a 2027 sixth.
Now comes the timing question. The Texans face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, so will Harrison make his Houston debut in London? There’s no answer yet. There’s been no indication whether he’ll travel with the team, and he still has to pass his physical before he can practice.
Could Harrison play right away?
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The biggest thing working in Harrison’s favor is his quarterback. He and Stroud were teammates at Ohio State, which gives him a head start on timing and chemistry that most midseason acquisitions don’t have.
Houston also needs the help. Nico Collins leads the team with 249 receiving yards, and tight end Dalton Schultz is right behind him with 244. That’s a thin passing game for a 1-4 team trying to climb out of a hole, and the Texans are also without running back David Montgomery, who is week to week with a groin injury.
Why would the Texans wait?
The challenge is the calendar. Harrison has only a few practices to learn a new playbook, and those practices come during a week that ends with international travel. It’s a lot to absorb, even for a player who has caught passes from Stroud before.
Harrison’s production in Arizona is another reason for patience. He had five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown through four games, and the Cardinals made him inactive for their final game before the trade. The likeliest outcome is a limited package of plays if he’s active Sunday, with a bigger role building over the next few weeks.
What does the trade mean for the Texans?
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Jaguars are 4-1 and three games ahead of Houston in the AFC South, so Sunday matters for the division even this early. Harrison has never faced Jacksonville, as he missed the 2025 meeting with an injury.
Tank Dell could also return soon, and a healthy receiver room of Collins, Dell and Harrison would look nothing like the group that started the season 0-4. Whether that starts in London or the following week will come down to how quickly Harrison picks up the offense. Expect the first real clue when Houston releases its practice report Wednesday.
More on the Arizona Cardinals
- Will the Cardinals Add a Receiver After Trading Marvin Harrison Jr.? Who Steps Up Now
- Where Do the Cardinals Pick in the 2027 NFL Draft After Trading Marvin Harrison Jr.?
- Lions’ Surprise Safety Switch Could Change Their Season
- Jeremiyah Love Is Carrying the Cardinals’ C- Draft Class as a One-Man Show
