The Arizona Cardinals are coming off of a humbling 31-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
While several players are taking heat for the loss, none are quite to the same extent as Marvin Harrison Jr. is.
Harrison, 24, is in his third season with the Cardinals, which is ironically the slowest start of his career. The 2024 third overall draft selection only saw one target in Sunday’s loss. This comes at the heels of hauling in only one pass in week one’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Ohio State product is the consistent subject of critique from the outside. Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur stepped to the plate to defend his wide receiver on Monday, however.
LaFleur Defends Talented Harrison After Loss
LaFleur’s post-week two presser came with a question directing towards critiques surrounding Harrison’s effort on a rep-by-rep basis.
The coach fervently defended the receiver by making a clear statement (Theo Mackie).
Can Cardinals Star Make Comeback From Slow Start?
While avenues exist for the third-year Cardinal to climb out of this hole, the odds aren’t stacking in his favor.
Among these are the uncertainty at quarterback, the full-on emergence of Wilson, and his own mental approach to the game.
Jacoby Brissett is Arizona’s starting quarterback for the moment. While he is still in tow under center, certain limitations open the door for a change to be made in the near future. The potential revolving door at QB further complicates Harrison Jr’s. growth with the Cardinals.
Beyond this, the Arizona receiving room is improving by the day. Harrison took just 74% of snaps on Sunday, simply displaying the strength of his peers inside the group.
Lastly, Harrison needs to tackle his own internal challenges. The elite prospect faces tests such as drops, consistently winning reps against quality defensive backs, and much more. The starting receiver is incredibly talented, but he must battle everything stacking up against him.
Despite this, it’s challenging to bet against his talent. Time is running out, but the Cardinals should still have confidence in his growth long-term for the time being.
Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur Defends Marvin Harrison Jr. Amid Struggles