The Patriots may not be done looking for help at wide receiver, and one NFL insider thinks Marvin Harrison Jr. could be the kind of swing worth considering.
That idea surfaced Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand,” where Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer pointed to New England as a possible landing spot if the Arizona Cardinals decide to move on from the former first-round pick.
Harrison was taken fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, just one spot after the Patriots selected Drake Maye. At the time, Arizona was banking on the Ohio State standout becoming a cornerstone. Instead, his NFL start has been uneven enough that his future in the desert is now being questioned.
His rookie season in 2024 produced 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, but that was followed by a step back in 2025, when he finished with 41 catches on 73 targets for 608 yards and four touchdowns. This year has started slowly as well, with just one catch for 33 yards.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote that a trade could be in play because of the Cardinals’ roster decisions and the uncertainty around Harrison’s next contract.
“The team signed fellow wide receiver Michael Wilson Jr. to a contract extension this offseason,” Graziano wrote. “They have a new coaching staff and a new offense.
Harrison is extension-eligible after this season, and as of now, the Cardinals would have a hard time paying him based on what he’s shown in the league so far. It’s worth watching out for a potential change-of-scenery deal in this case.”
For New England, the appeal is obvious enough. The Patriots could use another receiver, especially with A.J.
Brown out for at least another 3-5 weeks because of a high ankle sprain. Harrison’s size and skill set would give Maye a different kind of target, and the pair would be a lot more interesting than what Arizona has been able to build around him so far.
Breer said the fit could make sense because Harrison has spent most of his NFL career catching passes from Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett, and that a new environment might help unlock more of what made him such a prized prospect in the first place.
He also believes Mike Vrabel could be a meaningful factor if New England seriously pursues it.
“So who can get through to him on the toughness part of it? And I would say Mike Vrabel would probably be one of the guys who could,” Breer said. “So it’s something I would consider, because I think if they’re [Arizona] willing to give him up for like a Day 3 pick, and you’re talking about.
“I mean, A.J. Brown is - you want him to be your number one [receiver] when he comes back, and then maybe he’s your number one for another year.
But then you don’t have an answer beyond that. That’s where it might be worth taking the flyer.”
Breer also tied Vrabel’s Ohio State background to the possibility of getting a clearer read on Harrison than most teams could.
“Mike Vrabel is going to be privy to the best information on Marvin Harrison because of where he went to school,” Breer said. “So he’s going to be - whatever the goods are on Marvin Harrison.
Like Mike Vrabel knows [former Ohio State wide receivers coach / offensive coordinator] Brian Hartline, who was Harrison’s guy at Ohio State. He knows [Ohio State head coach] Ryan Day.
He knows everybody in that program.”
Harrison’s upside is still part of the conversation. He was productive at Ohio State, showed a versatile route tree, and flashed enough as a rookie to keep the door open. But Breer’s point was clear: if Arizona is willing to deal him, and the price is modest, New England could at least make the call.
There’s still no guarantee a move like that would turn Harrison into a franchise receiver. But if the Patriots are looking for a wideout with real pedigree and the chance to hit reset, he’s now firmly on the radar.
In Other News...
Red Sox Suddenly Face A Huge Willson Contreras Playoff Concern
Willson Contreras right hand has become a late-week storyline for a Red Sox club that suddenly has to weigh its postseason plans around one of its most productive bats. The pain has lingered since he was hit by a pitch, and it has kept him from swinging in recent days, a development that immediately changes the tone around Bostons Wild Card Series preparations.
Contreras said he is unsure whether he will be able to play and made clear he intends to be straight with the team about where he stands. That matters because he leads the Red Sox in several offensive categories this season, and his presence would give Boston a much different look in a short series than his absence would. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Bats Just Raised An Awkward October Question
A night that was supposed to keep Boston in control of its October push instead turned into a reminder of how thin the margin can be when the bats go quiet. The Red Sox fell 1-0 to the Guardians at Fenway Park, with Angel Martnezs homer providing the only scoring in a game where Clevelands pitching staff, starting with opener Daniel Espino and including Joey Cantillo, smothered Boston all evening.
The bigger concern for the Red Sox was not just the loss, but how little they got going at the plate. Boston finished with only two hits, an ugly showing at a time when every game carries extra weight, and now has to move quickly into a split doubleheader against the Cubs the next day. After an outing like this, the question is less about one bad night than whether the offense can snap back fast enough to avoid making the standings even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Crochet Just Gave The Red Sox Real Wild Card Hope
Garrett Crochet is giving the Red Sox a real reason to believe October could still get interesting, even as the final four games of the regular season unfold without him. Boston expects to learn more soon about the left-handers condition and whether he can be available for the playoffs, a development that matters a lot with a Wild Card series against the Yankees potentially on deck.
Crochet took an encouraging step by feeling good during his first intense live batting practice, a session the club moved to its spring training complex because of weather concerns. For a Red Sox team trying to line up its best arms for the postseason push, the next update on Crochet could loom large, because his status may end up shaping how confident Boston can feel about its chances when the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]