Marvin Harrison Jr. Eyes Breakout Year with Arizona Cardinals

TEMPE, Ariz. — Marvin Harrison Jr. watched an NFL playoff game last season from a suite, but he never took the field. He attended the game where the Los Angeles Rams faced the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium, relocated due to wildfires in Los Angeles.

During his time in the suite, Harrison learned two things. First, the game seemed slower from his vantage point than when he played during his rookie season. More importantly, he felt uneasy watching two out-of-town teams play on Arizona’s home turf.

Harrison discussed these insights on Monday during a media session at the Cardinals’ practice facility. When asked how he plans to improve in his second year, the 22-year-old receiver turned the attention toward the team’s aspirations. “First, start with team success,” he said. “You got to make the playoffs. This is the year I feel like we want to do what we need to do. We have all the pieces we need.”

The Cardinals aimed to be a playoff contender last season but finished 8-9, missing out on postseason play. Since then, General Manager Monti Ossenfort has worked to strengthen the team’s defensive lineup. Despite this, Harrison’s development is a key focus as the team seeks success under third-year head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Harrison, drafted fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, showed flashes of brilliance last season, amassing 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. One memorable play occurred in Week 2 against the Rams when he caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyler Murray, which had a low completion chance according to Next Gen Stats.

Although Harrison displayed moments of skill, consistency posed a challenge. He struggled with contested catches, finishing with a 53.4-percent catch rate. Nearly 38.1 percent of his receiving yards were accumulated in just three games against the Rams and the Miami Dolphins.

The Cardinals feature a strong rushing attack led by two-time 1,000-yard rusher James Conner, but they require Harrison to emerge as a game-changing receiver. Ossenfort and Gannon believe he is on the right path. At the scouting combine in February, Ossenfort noted that Harrison acknowledged he still has room for growth. The receiver has been consistently working in the practice facility since the end of last season.

“Really excited where Marvin is and where he is going,” Ossenfort said. In meetings about offseason work, Harrison presented Gannon with a detailed plan for his improvement.

“I’m constantly evaluating myself,” Harrison said. He emphasized the importance of reflecting on practices to become his best self, while also considering coaches’ feedback.

Physical changes are also noticeable. Harrison, last listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, acknowledged he has gained weight but did not specify how much, preferring to assess his progress during offseason activities. He mentioned that increased protein intake helped him gain weight naturally as a professional.

Harrison feels good going into his second year. He admitted it took time to adjust to the game’s speed as a rookie, where he often found himself overthinking rather than reacting. As he anticipates Year 2, he expects improvement in both his performance and the offense as a whole.

“I’m very confident in what we have offensively, from top to bottom,” Harrison concluded. “We have everything we need to be able to go out there and accomplish the goals that we have.”