Marvin Harrison Jr.’s name is suddenly in the trade-rumor mix, and the fit being floated is a surprising one: the San Francisco 49ers.
Harrison entered the 2024 NFL Draft with massive expectations, with many pundits calling him one of the best wide receiver prospects in a long time. Instead, the former Ohio State star has been far from the difference-maker Arizona hoped for.
Even his training camp videos are drawing heavy scrutiny, and while he showed promise as a rookie, the seasons since have not delivered. His 2026 campaign, though still early, has been described as brutal.
That’s why some are wondering whether a change of scenery could help. The idea isn’t presented as a sure thing, but the 49ers are being pointed to as a possible landing spot if Arizona is willing to listen.
San Francisco’s receiver group is leaning old, with the team depending heavily on a couple of 30-year-olds every week. Mike Evans is 33, Deebo Samuel is 30, and Brandin Cooks, who was just signed to the practice squad, is 32.
The argument is simple: the Niners need young legs out there.
A trade would not be easy to pull off, but the suggestion is that San Francisco should at least call Arizona and see whether there’s a path. The thinking is that the Cardinals might be willing to sell low given Harrison Jr.’s uneven production.
That production has fueled harsh talk around the league. Because of the struggles, some have already started labeling Harrison Jr. a bust, a tough tag for a 24-year-old to carry this early in his career.
The concern is that his numbers have dropped sharply since his rookie season and that, now in his third year, he should have shown more progress by this point. Instead, his lack of development has continued to drag down Arizona’s offense.
And if the problem is more than scheme or timing, a fresh start could be the answer. Some young players do respond after a change of scenery.
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That backdrop helps explain why the 49ers added veteran wideout Brandin Cooks, another experienced piece for a passing game that already asks a lot of its quarterback. San Francisco is still sorting through bigger team questions, though, with run defense and offensive blocking lingering as areas of concern, so the receiving room is only part of the answer. The real question now is how quickly all of these moving parts can settle in around Purdy and whether the new help is enough to make the offense more complete. [Read more 🡒]