Arizona Cardinals Impressed with Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Growth

After a strong rookie season, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. spent the offseason sharpening his game — and it’s already paying off.

The 22-year-old says the game has started to slow down for him, which has helped boost his confidence.

“That just happens with any type of time,” Harrison said. “You just feel more comfortable naturally.”

That growth hasn’t gone unnoticed. During OTAs and minicamp, quarterback Kyler Murray saw clear progress in Harrison’s play. His routes were quicker, and his decision-making faster.

“I’m not in his head, we’re not in his head,” Murray said. “Everybody watching the game from the TV or on the couch, they don’t know what he’s thinking. So only he understood how fast the game was moving, and each week, obviously, I hoped it slowed down for him. But now he’s at the point where he’s definitely more comfortable, and I can see it out there on the field, and I think that’ll only allow him to play faster, be the guy that we all know he can be.”

Bigger Goals After a Solid Rookie Season

In 2024, Harrison posted 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns over 17 games. Now in his second year, he’s working on more than just running routes. He’s learning how to read defenses on the fly and position himself for the catch before the ball even leaves Murray’s hands.

“It’s the next step,” Harrison said.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing agrees, saying Harrison is no longer overthinking at the line of scrimmage — and that’s helping him play faster and smarter.

“There’s certain things now that you get to pay attention to that’ll allow you to be more effective,” he said. “Maybe how you come off the line of scrimmage, maybe there’s a little less thought process going into the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped and I think it just allows guys to play a little bit faster and have a little bit more success.”

Fine-Tuning the Details

Throughout the offseason, Harrison had regular talks with wide receivers coach Drew Terrell. They focused on route timing, footwork, and technique. He also sat down with head coach Jonathan Gannon to review his rookie year and came prepared with a list of things he wanted to improve.

“I’m constantly evaluating,” Harrison said. “After every practice, I’m evaluating myself. I think that’s just the thing that you could do consistently to be the best version of yourself that you possibly can be.

“So, I’m always evaluating myself and obviously I take the coach’s input as well and we kind of come together with a plan on what we may agree on, what I need to improve on. But yeah, definitely just always evaluating myself, and I just want to be the best player I can be.”

Getting Stronger to Do More

One of the biggest changes this offseason was Harrison’s physical build. The Cardinals wanted him to bulk up, and he delivered.

Gannon believed the added weight would help Harrison take on more responsibility. Petzing said that goal was clear from the moment Harrison walked in for media day — looking noticeably stronger.

Even Murray was surprised.

“I thought it was AI. The picture looked fake,” Murray joked.

No Limits for Harrison

Heading into the 2025 season, the Cardinals plan to use Harrison all over the field — deep routes, short plays, slot work, and more.

“I think if you look at his skillset, there’s not a lot of things I’m going to tell you he can’t do,” Petzing said. “So, stretch the field, play underneath, playing the slot, move around the formation, play outside — I think that’s what makes him so dynamic.”

As Harrison enters Year 2, he’s not just growing — he’s evolving into one of the most complete receivers on the roster.