If the Pittsburgh Steelers acquire wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, it won’t come cheaply.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported Saturday morning the Arizona Cardinals have received inquiries into Harrison. If a trade is going to happen, though, a team will have to meet Arizona’s high asking price for the wideout.
The Cardinals are getting trade calls on WR Marvin Harrison Jr., but he won’t come cheap: League sources say Arizona would want a second-round pick and more to consider dealing the former No. 4 pick,” wrote Pelissero.
Pelissero’s report could be notable for Pittsburgh because Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox previously linked the Steelers to Harrison. On October 2, Knox named the Steelers one of the top two ideal landing spots for Harrison.
The Steelers could use another receiver after Michael Pittman Jr.’s injury news this week. Pittman will miss a few weeks because of his foot injury.
Cardinals Set to Trade WR Marvin Harrison: Report
An hour after Pelissero’s update on the asking price for Harrison, ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped a bombshell on social media.
“Breaking: the Arizona Cardinals are finalizing a deal to trade WR Marvin Harrison, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport,” wrote Schefter on X.
“The team informed Harrison this morning that he will be inactive for Sunday’s game vs. Detroit as details of the trade are finalized.”
Because of Pelissero’s report, it’s pretty safe to assume the Cardinals received the asking price they wanted. That’s due to the fact they didn’t have to trade Harrison this weekend or really even this season.
But the Cardinals could be close to trading away Harrison because the compensation is such a good offer.
Could Steelers Be Acquiring Harrison From Cardinals?
It remains unknown as of Saturday morning which team is acquiring Harrison. Typically, the team becomes public first and not the compensation. While the exact offer for Harrison isn’t clear, Schefter gave no hints which team is acquiring the Cardinals wideout.
More than likely, it’s not the Steelers. But it’s not out of the realm of possibilities.
The Steelers have been aggressive on the receiver trade market the past two years. They added Mike Williams at the trade deadline in 2024. The past two offseasons, they acquired Pittman and D.K. Metcalf.
Trading a second-rounder and more for Harrison would be super aggressive for general manager Omar Khan and the Steelers. That’s why they probably aren’t the acquiring team. But the Steelers do have a new hole at WR2 with Pittman out. It’s possible the veteran receiver could go on injured reserve.
If the Steelers don’t add an external receiver, they will move forward with Roman Wilson and Germie Bernard as possible starters opposite Metcalf.
Harrison posted 62 catches, 885 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2024. But he has taken more of a backseat to fellow wideout Michael Wilson and tight end Trey McBride in Arizona since the start of 2025.
Even if the Steelers aren’t the team Schefter referred to Saturday morning, there’s a chance Khan could make a late offer for Harrison. NFL insider Ian Rapoport had his own update on the Harrison trade, which left open who might acquire the receiver.
But it sounds like Harrison will be on the move soon.
“No trade is finalized as of now,” wrote Rapoport. “But he’s expected to be traded.”
Steelers Get Price on Potential Marvin Harrison Jr. Trade: Report