History often repeats itself. In 2024, a raging debate wore on among fans from the worst teams in the league. Should insert favorite team here take the "can't-miss" Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., or should they roll the dice on a quarterback the likes of Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or Michael Penix Jr.? The football gods are quick to humble.
It's eerily familiar to the conundrum debated by Miami Dolphins fans worldwide regarding current Buckeyes megastar Jeremiah Smith. In any case, Harrison Jr. has had a middling start to his career to this point. Through two seasons and three games in 2026, he's totaled 107 catches, 1,566 yards, and 12 touchdowns. The slow start and the general peculiarity around his time in Arizona have placed him firmly on the trade radar.
ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano delved into the subject this week, writing:
“Teams are continuing to watch the Marvin Harrison Jr. situation closely, wondering if he would become available … He would have a market, though not for a high pick (possibly a quality Day 3 pick, as one team forecasted). Harrison, the former No. 4 overall pick who has struggled in Arizona, showed a slight uptick last week vs. San Francisco with three catches for 43 yards on five targets. But tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Michael Wilson are clearly the Cardinals' primary options.”
The Miami Dolphins represent a perfect environment for Marvin Harrison Jr. to get his career on track
That sound you hear is the Cardinals' general manager Monti Ossenfort's phone ringing with a Florida area code on caller ID.
Marvin Harrison Jr. makes all the sense in the world for the Dolphins. It's no secret that Miami's receiving corps is... let's call it unproven. Harrison Jr. would instantly represent the highest ceiling of any wideout currently on the Dolphins roster, and the opportunity that has eluded him thus far out in the desert is ripe for the taking in South Florida.
As a refresher, Harrison Jr. played his college ball at modern-day "Wide Receiver University," better known as Ohio State. After waiting his turn as a freshman in 2021, he exploded onto the scene in 2022 with 77 catches, 1,263 yards, and 14 TDs. He proved it wasn't a fluke as a junior, racking up 67 grabs for 1,211 yards and another 14 touchdowns. Harrison Jr. received All-America honors for both campaigns.
That resume got him drafted No. 4 overall in 2024. Oh, and the fact that elite football runs in his blood didn't hurt either. He is the son of former Indianapolis Colts Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr.
Now, as with any discounted commodity, it's fair to wonder why. Well, Harrison Jr. didn't exactly hit the jackpot with his placement in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals have long been one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the league. What's more, MHJ didn't exactly wind up with Peyton Manning throwing him passes as Pops did.
In his three years, he's caught passes from Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett. Despite that, the advanced analytics have given him high marks for his efforts. As a rookie, he finished the season ranked 31st among wide receivers by Pro Football Focus with a 77.7 offensive grade.
He took a step back last season, dropping to 77th with a still-respectable 68.4 grade. By all appearances, his development has been stunted. He's developed a drop problem that curiously didn't surface until landing with the Cardinals. He is off to his worst start to a season in 2026, a tangible sign that he, too, might be hoping for a fresh start elsewhere.
Wide receiver is one of the most situation-dependent positions on the field. Dolphins' wideout Malik Washington perfectly outlined the frustration that goes along with playing receiver as opposed to, say, running back, in his media availability with reporters this week. (h/t to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald for the transcription)
“Probably that they just give you the ball,” Washington said. “You don’t need every single thing to work out for you to get the ball. At receiver, you need the quarterback to make the right read, a good throw, the line to hold up, the running back to be in protection. You need to run a good route and get open. At running back, they just give you the ball, which is exciting.”
It's not hard to see how a young player who has an immense amount of pressure on his shoulders as a top-draft pick, with a Hall of Fame pedigree no less, could get discouraged and even lose concentration when the going is tough. The talent is there; it just might take a change of scenery to coax it out.
Marvin Harrison Jr. also happens to fit Jon-Eric Sullivan's wide receiver profile to a T. At six-foot-three and 220 pounds, you might notice a striking similarity to the Dolphins' rookie Killer Cs, Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell, at the position. Harrison Jr. also just turned 24 in August, so there's plenty of football ahead of him, and that trio could grow together over the next few seasons.
It remains to be seen if the Cardinals begin to shop him, though if the price is right, Miami should be first in line. Reclamation projects and low-cost gambles are the name of the game when a team is rebuilding. With Marvin Harrison Jr., it's safe to say the juice would be worth the squeeze.
Add us as a preferred source on Google