'Major Surprise' Marvin Harrison Jr. Is 'A Big Talking Point' for NFL Execs amid New Trade Rumors

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is generating conversations inside the NFL for the wrong reasons, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler reported Saturday on SportsCenter the third-year wideout is "a big talking point around the league right now in front offices trying to figure out does he need a fresh start or will he eventually be traded."

"In talking to some scouts and execs this week, they said nobody saw this coming because, maybe he didn't have like the killer instinct as a player, but he had everything else," the NFL insider said. "So, this is a major surprise."

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported earlier this week rival teams are curious whether the Cardinals would be willing to deal Harrison ahead of the trade deadline.

Harrison was generally projected as the most NFL-ready player in the 2024 draft class. His father is a Hall of Famer, and he looked like a pro-caliber receiver midway through his sophomore season at Ohio State.

That makes the start to his career all the more inexplicable.

Through his first two seasons, Harrison caught 103 passes for 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns. That's not the kind of return you'd want from a No. 1 receiver selected with a top-five pick.

This year is shaping up to be even worse. He had one catch in a Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and was targeted just once in the 31-7 blowout loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.

Fowler and Graziano outlined how Harrison's production isn't assured of taking a big jump forward, either.

Tight end Trey McBride is coming off two straight Pro Bowl nods and is Arizona's leader in the three main receiving categories. Michael Wilson signed a three-year, $75 million extension, so the Cards have big plans for him beyond 2026. They also used the No. 3 pick on running back Jeremiyah Love, so he'll be a focal point of the offensive scheme.

Maybe a fresh start is what Harrison needs, though that would require Arizona to admit it made a costly mistake.