The trade speculation surrounding Marvin Harrison Jr. is starting to get stronger.
Dan Graziano of ESPN reported this week that teams around the NFL are monitoring Harrison’s situation in the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona hasn’t indicated that Harrison is available, but his reduced role and disappointing production seem to be enough to make other teams curious.
Harrison has just four catches for 73 yards through three games this season and has been targeted just nine times.
If Arizona gets to the point where it’s willing to listen, five teams makes a lot of sense.
This will immediately become the most interesting destination.
Harrison and CJ Stroud were teammates at Ohio State, where Harrison caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns in Stroud’s final collegiate season.
Reuniting Harrison with the quarterback who helped make him a superstar in college isn’t a hard sell.
Buffalo has a different connection to Harrison.
Bills wide receivers coach Drew Terrell coached Harrison during his first two seasons at Arizona. There is also a buffalo Josh Allen and a clear reason to keep looking for help.
The interesting question will be the price.
Buffalo has enough young talent to make that conversation interesting.
Yes, another receiver connected to Kansas City.
There’s a reason why it keeps happening.
Harrison would give Patrick Mahomes a 6-foot-4 outside target with higher upside than his current numbers suggest.
Harrison doesn’t look like No. 4 overall pick in Arizona.
Betting that Andy Reid and Mahomes could change isn’t exactly crazy.
Pittsburgh has also been identified as a team with a need at receiver.
It’s about buying low.
Harrison is only 24, and Arizona will almost certainly trade him for less than the fourth overall pick it used to acquire him.
NFL executives There are reportedly mixed opinions on Harrison’s current value, with estimates ranging from a second-round pick to something closer to a third-rounder and another asset.
If the price drops, Pittsburgh should be interested.
The clear storyline writes itself.
Harrison’s father spent his whole Hall of Fame career in Indianapolis, finishing with 1,102 catches, 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns.
But nostalgia isn’t reason enough to trade up.
Indianapolis is also among the teams identified as needing help at receiver.
Harrison will get a fresh start while joining an offense that could give him a bigger role than he currently has in Arizona.
So far, there is no indication that the Cardinals are actively shopping Harrison.
That can change quickly.
If Arizona decides its former top-five pick needs a fresh start, there should be no shortage of teams willing to find out if Harrison’s disappointing start says more about the player or the situation around him.