The Arizona Cardinals used the No. 4 overall pick on Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024, expecting him to become a centerpiece of their offense. Less than three seasons later, one proposed trade would send him away for a third-round pick.
And the potential destination is a team Arizona has already beaten this season.
In an Oct. 6 piece examining ways winless teams could salvage their seasons, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay suggested that the Los Angeles Chargers acquire Harrison from the Cardinals for a 2027 third-round selection.
It’s only a proposal, but Harrison’s disappearing role in Arizona’s offense makes the idea harder to dismiss outright.
Bleacher Report Pitches Marvin Harrison Jr. Trade to Chargers
Kay’s proposed deal is straightforward: the Chargers receive Harrison, while Arizona gets a 2027 third-rounder.
Los Angeles entered Week 5 at 0-4, a long way from the expectations surrounding Jim Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. The Chargers have averaged 16.8 points and 185.3 passing yards per game, with Justin Herbert throwing four touchdowns against six interceptions.
Injuries haven’t helped. Receiver Ladd McConkey has dealt with his own health issues, while left tackle Rashawn Slater is expected to miss time with a high ankle sprain.
Kay believes Harrison is worth the gamble despite the way his production has fallen in Arizona.
“A change of scenery could be exactly what Harrison needs to rejuvenate his career,” Kay wrote. “It could also be the missing piece for a broken Chargers passing offense that is falling apart around quarterback Justin Herbert.”
There’s an interesting connection, too. The Cardinals opened their season with a 26-14 win over the Chargers, even though Harrison caught only one pass for 33 yards.
He has barely been more involved since.
Harrison was shut out against Seattle, caught three passes for 40 yards against San Francisco and finished with one catch for 12 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 36-24 loss to the New York Giants.
That puts him at five receptions for 85 yards and one score through four games, despite appearing in every contest.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Cardinals Future Raises Bigger Questions
Harrison’s early NFL numbers make that proposed third-round return particularly eye-opening.
As a rookie in 2024, he caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers fell to 41 catches for 608 yards and four scores in 12 games last season.
The Cardinals have other options catching passes. Trey McBride has 33 receptions for 242 yards through four games this year, while Michael Wilson has taken on a larger role. Harrison, meanwhile, has just 12 targets.
It’s a striking gap between two players who were supposed to give Arizona one of the NFL’s more dangerous young passing-game pairings.
Arizona also sits at 1-3 following three straight losses. Its passing game hasn’t created the type of consistent big-play threat the team envisioned when it drafted Harrison ahead of every other receiver in 2024.
But giving up on him for a third-round pick would carry its own risk.
Harrison is only 24 and remains on his rookie contract, with Arizona holding a fifth-year option for 2028. If the Chargers turned him into the player the Cardinals thought they were drafting, Arizona would have little to show for giving him up.
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