Sitting at 3-11 and projected to have a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals will soon shift their focus to the offseason with only three games remaining. The Cardinals were expected to be bad, so getting franchise QB Kyler Murray back on the field after tearing his ACL in 2022 was the year’s highlight.
According to Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan, Arizona is focused on giving Murray a top pass catcher in Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.
Arizona Cardinals Will Select Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024 NFL Draft
Many had speculated Arizona could replace Murray in this upcoming draft class, but the structure of his $230.5 million deal makes it difficult to move him anytime soon. The dead cap of trading Murray would negate the benefits of adding a quarterback on a rookie contract.
Instead, Fox Sports Insider Jay Glazer reported in October that the team would build around Murray.
With that settled, Arizona would give Murray a deep array of playmakers. The franchise outright released star receiver DeAndre Hopkins last summer, and veteran Marquise Brown is slated to hit free agency this offseason. If he’s not re-signed, that leaves Rondale Moore and 2023 third-round pick Michael Wilson as the only notable talents on the unit.
On Monday, Caplan wrote, “They have a ton of needs for the future, but you can’t pass up a generational talent in Harrison Jr, and his position is a dual need for 2024 and well beyond. They can address other positional issues as the draft progresses. He hasn’t declared his intention to enter the draft yet or stay in school, but if he does leave, he won’t get past the Cardinals.”
There’s little justification for being fixated on Harrison. The son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr., the Buckeyes star was magnificent in college. At 6’4″ and 202 pounds, he was often unguardable from the moment he saw the field.
Harrison totaled 155 receptions for 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns as a two-year starter. He won the Biletnikoff Award for being the best pass catcher in the nation. He’s still mulling his NFL future as he’s yet to beat Michigan and partake in the College Football Playoff, but we’ve rarely seen a prospect of his caliber go back to school.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Arizona is slated to have the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Harrison is PFN’s top overall prospect and edges out a deep crop of receivers.
Based on how this class is set up, the Cardinals will theoretically choose between Harrison, a top offensive tackle to replace D.J. Humphries or a pass-rusher like Laiatu Latu or Dallas Turner.
The value of a star receiver who can produce for a decade is something Arizona can imagine with ease after enjoying Larry Fitzgerald for 17 seasons. While Harrison may never reach Fitzgerald’s success, he’s as good a prospect as I’ve seen in 10 years of evaluation.
Building around an offense with Murray’s explosiveness and Harrison’s blend of size, body control, speed, and athleticism can take this unit to the next level.
Of course, more roster upgrades are needed. As Caplan noted, the Cardinals have no shortage of needs elsewhere. General manager Monti Ossenfort will have at least $60 million to upgrade the roster. Veterans Budda Baker, James Conner, and Humphries could also be on the move to open an additional $30 million.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!Â
