Marvin Harrison Jr. has failed to live up to expectations. Could the Arizona Cardinals trade him before his value craters -- or perhaps before he puts his prodigious talents to good use on Sundays?
That's the question NFL executives are asking, per ESPN's Dan Graziano. While the Cardinals haven't publicly made the former top five draft pick available, Arizona's ongoing rebuild and Harrison's lack of production make a deal feasible, if not likely.
After 62 catches, 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, the son of a Hall of Fame wideout has sputtered. He was surpassed by Michael Wilson in an injury-marred 2025. Through two games of 2026 he has four targets, one reception and 33 yards.
At only 24 years old, he's got plenty of time to turn things
around. However, the Cardinals may prefer draft assets rather than make the tough decision about whether to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract that would lock him in for 2028 at a cost of just under $20 million. Despite a 1-1 start, Arizona has minimal postseason hopes, especially in the NFL's toughest division. If a team is willing to pay up, Harrison could be on the move before the 2026 NFL trade deadline.
So who could be buying?
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta is in the midst of its own rebuilding year and needs young talent who can elevate a team that has stumbled out of the gate to the point of being borderline unwatchable. Harrison has the raw talent to thrive as WR1b next to Drake London. He could restore his value in the space created by short range targets in Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. He'd give whomever is winging passes for the Falcons next season a high-potential deep and intermediate range playmaker.
Importantly, he'd fit into the team'svoluminous cap space for 2027, where his $9m (ish) hit is lower than any comparable second receiver found in free agency. That's money the franchise can spend to fill its other holes, of which there are several.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield's $165 million contract extension essentially ties him to the team through 2028. So far, he's rewarded that faith by playing like the league's 30th-best quarterback. Adding another talented, but mercurial, wide receiver won't be a panacea for an offense that already has Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Ted Hurst. Harrison would be insurance in case of another Chris Godwin injury (he played 16 games across 2024 and 2025 combined) and add a field-stretching dimension lost when Mike Evans saw his foot speed decline, then became a San Francisco 49er.
Green Bay Packers
Romeo Doubs is a New England Patriot. Dontayvion Wicks is a Philadelphia Eagle. Jayden Reed missed extended time in 2025 and left Week 2 on the injury cart.
While Harrison's downfield style isn't a perfect fit -- it's a bit similar to Christian Watson -- his talent would add needed reinforcement to an offense that's been stocked with young receiving talent in Matt LaFleur's most successful seasons. The former first round pick could thrive in the space created by LaFleur's playbook, though Green Bay's lack of a run game is throwing a wrench into that at the moment. Well, good news; third-and-long is a useful spot to have a downfield threat like Harrison along the sideline.
Indianapolis Colts
How much time will Alec Pierce miss? We saw how vital he was to Daniel Jones' revival as a field-stretching deep threat who created space for the Colts' mid-range threats, but now he's on injured reserve with a heel issue.
Indianapolis doesn't have an obvious fill-in downfield; in Week 2, that duty fell to Laquon Treadwell, whose three targets on Sunday night matched his total from 2023 to 2025. Harrison is a tarnished product, but an obvious fit with the franchise that helped make his father a Hall of Famer. He can be a Pierce replacement for now, then adjust to more of an intermediate range upon the deep ball savant's return.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills lack dynamic sideline targets beyond D.J. Moore, who is 29 years old and has already missed time due to injury this season. Is Harrison just a bigger name Keon Coleman? Maybe! But the upgrade from Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett to Josh Allen would be like watching a rocket escape the surly bonds of earth.
Joe Brady's offense has clicked early, but there's no such thing as putting too many playmakers around an MVP quarterback. After dealing a second-round pick to land Moore, Buffalo could jump back into the fray with a similar deal at this year's deadline.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 5 Marvin Harrison Jr. trade destinations should Cardinals deal young WR
