Texans emerge as the likely landing spot for Marvin Harrison Jr. as Cardinals work to finish trade

The Houston Texans have become the clear front-runner to land Marvin Harrison Jr., with the Arizona Cardinals working to complete a trade of the 24-year-old receiver they drafted fourth overall in 2024. Nothing had been announced by either club as of late Saturday night.

Jeremy Fowler reported late Saturday that several executives tracking the trade market, along with a player inside the Arizona organization, expect Harrison to end up in Houston. The move would pair him again with quarterback C.J. Stroud, his teammate at Ohio State, and hand the Texans a proven pass catcher at a position that injuries have thinned.

As of Saturday night, multiple execs gauging the overall trade market as well as an Arizona player source believe Harrison Jr. will be a Houston Texan https://t.co/cfmKj5FPNH

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 11, 2026

What is reported about the price

Aaron Wilson reported that the package is expected to send Arizona a 2028 second-round pick plus a late-round selection, and that none of Houston’s receivers is part of the deal. Mike Florio reported that the sticking point is timing: Houston has offered its second-rounder in 2028, while Arizona wants the 2027 pick. Wilson also reported that the Las Vegas Raiders showed interest, and that Kansas City and Indianapolis are not pursuing a trade.

None of those terms has been confirmed by either team. A deal would also need Harrison to pass a physical before it becomes official.

Why Arizona is moving on

Harrison will sit out Arizona’s Sunday matchup with Detroit as the clubs finish the paperwork, and he was absent from the team’s meetings on Saturday night. He has been a minor part of the offense this fall, with five receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown on 12 targets across four games. He hired new agents, Todd France and Tory Dandy, on September 23.

His first two seasons promised more. As a rookie he caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. Foot injuries and appendicitis limited him to 12 games in 2025, when he finished with 41 catches, 608 yards and four scores. He has yet to post a 1,000-yard season.

Head coach Mike LaFleur had defended him earlier this season, saying after a loss to the Giants that his “confidence is high in Marv.”

The fit in Houston

Houston’s receiver room has been hit hard. Jayden Higgins is out with a torn ACL, Nico Collins has missed time, and Tank Dell is working back toward a return after sitting out all of last season. Harrison is also reported to be close to Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.

The contract is friendly for a buyer. Arizona has already paid his $22.5 million signing bonus, which leaves a $4 million salary this year and $5.62 million in 2027. The club that holds his rights must decide on his fifth-year option, which would cover 2028, this coming offseason.

The Texans are the latest team to pursue a significant in-season deal, following the moves that sent J.J. McCarthy to the Giants, Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys and Cam Jurgens to the Ravens. The trade deadline is less than a month away.

What comes next

Houston visits the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, then travels to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 18, at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Arizona hosts Detroit at State Farm Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. EDT without Harrison. Follow every roster move on our transactions page.