The Arizona Cardinals used the No. 4 overall pick on Marvin Harrison Jr. just three drafts ago. One proposed deal would now have them move the former Ohio State star for Day 2 draft capital.
CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns proposed sending Harrison and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.
For Arizona, the deal would turn a struggling former top-five pick into another premium selection. For Las Vegas, it would be a bet that Harrison’s best football is still ahead of him.
Cardinals Trade Proposal Sends Marvin Harrison Jr. to Raiders
Bahns pointed to the Raiders’ surprising 3-1 start as one reason Las Vegas could become a buyer without abandoning its longer-term plans.
“At 3-1 on the year, the Las Vegas Raiders are surprise AFC West contenders who might be buyers at the trade deadline — with the caveat that they likely still want to remain fairly young and build around a budding core. Harrison fits this plan,” Bahns wrote.
The proposed deal:
Raiders receive: Marvin Harrison Jr., 2027 seventh-round pick
Cardinals receive: 2027 third-round pick
Harrison is still only 24 and remains under contract through 2027, with Arizona holding a fifth-year option for 2028. Over the Cap lists his four-year rookie deal at $35.4 million, all guaranteed.
That makes him different from the typical veteran rental available at the deadline.
It also explains why Bahns believes Las Vegas could view Harrison as a piece for both its present and future. Kirk Cousins is currently starting, while rookie Fernando Mendoza gives the Raiders a potential long-term answer at quarterback.
“Harrison fits this plan. He aligns with the roster’s trajectory as a 24-year-old with upside and an already established base as a No. 1 receiver,” Bahns wrote.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Role Has Shrunk in Arizona
The argument for Arizona is becoming easier to understand by the week.
Harrison has only five receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown through four games. Michael Wilson, meanwhile, has 25 catches for 258 yards, while tight end Trey McBride has 33 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
That comes after Harrison’s production already fell from 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie to 41 catches for 608 yards and four scores in 12 games last season.
Bahns also cited reporting that teams have begun checking with Arizona about Harrison’s availability, even though the Cardinals reportedly aren’t eager to move him.
Las Vegas would be an intriguing destination because its receiving hierarchy is still unsettled outside of Brock Bowers. Tre Tucker has 15 catches for 233 yards and one touchdown, while Jalen Nailor has only five receptions for 52 yards. Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. are on injured reserve.
Bahns argued that Harrison could become the outside target Mendoza will eventually need once the rookie takes over the offense.
For Arizona, the price is the bigger question.
The Cardinals originally spent the No. 4 pick on Harrison, and moving him for a third-rounder three seasons later would represent a major drop in value. But his current production gives them less leverage than his draft status once did.
A third-round pick would at least give Arizona another Day 2 asset while moving on from a receiver who has increasingly fallen behind McBride and Wilson.
The proposal would be a significant admission that the Harrison experiment never became what Arizona expected.
At this point, though, five catches through four games has made that possibility harder to ignore.
Cardinals-Raiders Trade Proposal Sends Marvin Harrison Jr. to Las Vegas