The early signs out of Cardinals training camp point to something simple but important for Marvin Harrison Jr.: he looks like he’s enjoying himself again.
That was the takeaway Michael Wilson offered when talking about his teammate, and it’s the kind of detail that can matter just as much as any drill or stat line this time of year.
“It’s great to see him smiling and having fun playing football,” Wilson said via Darren Urban.
Harrison heads into his third season with Arizona after an up-and-down start to his career, and the expectation is that a new regime could help reset the tone around him. The Cardinals still have many of the same contributors from the last few years, but the organization is clearly moving into a different phase.
Jacoby Brissett also had strong praise for Harrison, pointing to the way he has handled himself and approached his work.
“I think somebody that has worked to get better every day,” Brissett said. “He's never too high, he's never too low, and he's just finding ways every day, you know, to perfect his craft.
And he has that in him. He wants to be a perfectionist and his ability to come out and work, you know, despite the outside noise, I think has been the most impressive thing because honestly, it doesn't show on the field.”
For Arizona, the hope is that this version of Harrison - looser, happier, and still grinding - can finally turn into the player the team has been waiting for. He’s expected to handle the bulk of the touches this season, which would not only put him in position for a breakout, but could also create more room for the rest of the offense.
The theme around Harrison early in his career has been consistency, and that remains the key. If he finds it, the payoff could be significant for both him and the Cardinals.
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