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After two disappointing seasons, the Cardinals and Marvin Harrison Jr. enter a make or break season in 2026.
The Arizona Cardinals envisioned Marvin Harrison Jr. would be one of the top receivers in the NFL when they took him fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for both the Cardinals and Harrison, that vision has not manifested on the football field.
Through two seasons, the former first-rounder has caught just 104 passes for 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns in 29 games. Some of the lack of production is due to factors outside of his control, as the Cardinals lost their starting quarterback early in the 2025 season.
The hope is that Harrison will thrive with an offensive-minded coach in place. One of the mandates for new head coach Mike LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is to unlock more production from the former first-rounder.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook listed 11 players entering a make-or-break season in 2026. Harrison was one of three receivers, along with Keon Coleman and George Pickens, to make the list.
“After two underwhelming seasons in Arizona, Harrison is entering Year 3 facing the prospect of needing to learn another new quarterback. That’s not exactly encouraging news for a former No. 4 overall pick who hasn’t come close to meeting the expectations that followed him from Ohio State,” wrote Shook.
While the Cardinals’ offensive staff has a mandate to get more production out of Harrison, it is easier said than done. The team continues to face uncertainty at quarterback entering the 2026 season. Jacoby Brissett, whom the Cardinals have all but named the starter, is skipping offseason workouts while in the middle of a contract dispute.
With Brissett out of the facility, that means Harrison is working with Gardner Minshew II and Carson Beck. Entering a critical third season with the team, it’s not encouraging to see the presumptive starter missing workouts and having to work with a journeyman backup and a rookie.
As the Rams‘ offensive coordinator, LaFleur worked with Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. In the Cardinals’ offense, those roles should be filled by Michael Wilson and Harrison. It will be interesting to see if the first-year head coach can create a similar dynamic with the two young receivers, who are both looking to cash out on their next contract.
Staying on the topic of receivers drafted in the top five by Arizona, Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald sent a message to Harrison.
“I know he’s been putting the work in,” said Fitzgerald on the “In the Bayou” podcast. “I hear from people in the facility that he’s in there all day. He really wants to be great, and I’m excited about the Cardinals.”
Larry Fitzgerald says MHJ is putting in WORK for a breakout season 👀
“He has all the skills and ability, and I’m really looking for him in Year 3 to kind of breakout and take over… I know he’s putting the work in. I hear from guys at the facility that he’s in there all day.”
Fitzgerald, who spent his entire career with the franchise, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.
While Harrison can’t control who’s throwing him the ball, he’ll have to focus on learning a new offense. The Cardinals will need him to shoulder more of the load in the passing game, as they try to sort out which players they intend to rebuild around.
Harrison’s performance in 2026 will be very consequential in the organization’s future plans. The Cardinals will have to decide whether or not to exercise his fifth-year option the following offseason. That could very well determine if the former No. 4 overall pick’s tenure in Arizona will be viewed as a bust.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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