Marvin Harrison, Jr. was a mild disappointment as a rookie, finishing fifth among pass-catchers in receiving yards despite being the first non-quarterback taken in the draft.
But many NFL stars have found their footing in Year 2, and Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort believes Harrison, Jr. is primed for a breakout in 2025.
“I don’t know if there was a day this offseason that Marvin wasn’t in our building, training, working, getting better,” Ossenfort said on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov. “It’s showing in his body and it’s showing how he’s performed out here in the spring.
“We talk about it all the time, that jump a player makes from their rookie year to their second year. We’re expecting the same from Marvin.”
Harrison, Jr. added noticeable muscle this offseason as he attempts to ascend to one of the league’s premier playmakers.
Harrison, Jr. finished his rookie campaign with 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns.
“He had a good rookie year, a really good rookie year,” Ossenfort said. “He led our team in touchdowns, made explosive plays. We’re excited for him to take that next step, and he’s well on his way (based on) the way he’s performed this spring.”
Ossenfort: Cardinals Weren’t Counting On Top-5 Pick From Texans in 2024
Ossenfort was also asked about the draft-day trade in 2023, in which the Cardinals traded down from No. 3 overall in exchange for a Texans trade package that included a 2024 first-rounder.
Houston was projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2023, and instead went 10-7, giving the Cardinals the No. 27 pick in the draft.
Despite the unexpected success for Houston, Ossenfort did not rue the unfortunate turn of events.
“We were trying to collect assets, and first-round draft picks are valuable no matter where they are,” Ossenfort said. “Sure, I would have loved… for them to have a rough year. But we didn’t make that trade counting on them not having a good year.”
The Cardinals selected defensive tackle Darius Robinson at No. 27. He was injured for much of the year and had negligible impact upon his return to the field.
Ossenfort said the Texans’ projected draft finish did not enter the Cardinals’ thought process during the trade negotiations.
“It’s hard to predict the NFL year-to-year,” Ossenfort said. “We see it all the time, teams going from last to first. To be able to predict what’s going to happen from one year to the next, it’s tough. That was not part of our consideration when making that deal.”
