Marvin Harrison Jr. is on a short leash after starting his first season with just 4 receptions for 73 yards. And that’s not from one game. It’s his numbers through the first three games this season.
It is one of the many reasons he is on the trade block in the first place, and why outside chatter says the Cardinals would be better off with another wide receiver is gaining traction.
Whether the Jaguars send him away for a few draft picks or demand another player remains entirely up in the air, but getting a wide receiver to solve Mike LaFleur’s receiving woes seems like a solid plan given the decent start they have this season.
Cardinals Urged to Pick Jaguars Brian Thomas Jr. Off the Market
The other big wide receiver name on the trading block is Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas Jr. trade rumors are the new hot button in the trade rumor mill, and one obvious trade floating around is a one-for-one between the Cardinals and the Jaguars.
NFL Blue Book’s Charles Robinson interviewed NFL general managers and executives, and one of them felt the trade makes sense as a win-win for both teams.
Every single rumor sending Thomas Jr. to the Cardinals is based on this. Despite having massive potential, Thomas Jr. has never quite worked out under Liam Coen’s schemes. Or, as the GM says, “has fallen outside the core offensive scheme since the arrival of head coach Liam Coen in 2025.”
Every year, the Jaguars hope for Thomas Jr. to come out of his slump, but it never happens. Perhaps he needs a fresher start or just another scheme that fits him.
Then again, there are plenty of better teams who would take Thomas Jr. in an instant. Why just the Cardinals then?
Robinson explains why: “Such a deal would also resolve a tricky part of a team trading for Harrison Jr. — or Thomas Jr. for that matter. As members of the 2024 first-round class, both players have fifth-year options that need to be triggered by May. If their teams pass on picking up that option, the players become free agents after the 2027 season. According to Over The Cap, Harrison Jr.’s fifth-year option is currently projected at $18.95 million for the 2028 season. Thomas Jr.’s is projected at $17.2 million.”
Will Jaguars Agree to Marvin Harrison Jr.?
Harrison Jr. isn’t exactly fitting well in LaFleur’s scheme either. That’s why Black and Teal’s Carlos Sanchez also believes that a trade could benefit them both.
“Like Thomas, Harrison is a highly talented receiver who may not be a fit for what his team is trying to do. Both of them could benefit from a change of scenery, and a player-for-player trade would accomplish that,” Sanchez writes.
Plus, both teams have an option to bring in the new players as a rental fix rather than a long-term solution, in case they don’t work out in their new home either.
“Knowing that, let’s say Jacksonville acquired Harrison. If he fails to pan out, the team’s brass can decline his rookie option and allow him to hit the open market in 2028. Simply put, it would be a reclamation project that may not pan out but could also pay massive dividends,” Sanchez explains.
“The best part is that the Jags wouldn’t have to give up any kind of draft assets for Harrison. Instead, they would part ways with a player who’s quickly playing out of their plans.”
Cardinals Urged to Not Sleep on Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. for Marvin Harrison Jr. Trade