Cardinals, Texans Complete Marvin Harrison Jr. Trade

Harrison is heading to Houston, and the full terms of the swap are now known. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cards are sending Harrison and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Texans. Second- and sixth-rounders – both in the 2027 draft – are heading the other way.

A report from yesterday indicated Houston’s second-round pick would come from the 2028 draft. Instead, Arizona will not need to wait on that front. The Cardinals spent recent days gauging the market for Harrison, who has not lived up to expectations as a former No. 4 pick. There was interest from other suitors, though, as NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports “serious inquiries” were made by at least three teams. Houston’s offer proved to be the best, and Harrison will join the Texans as expected.

This will provide for a reunion between Harrison and quarterback C.J. Stroud after the two played together at Ohio State. Stroud was asked about the news after today’s contest. The fourth-year passer said (via Will Kunkel of ESPN 97.5 radio) he was asked by Houston’s front office about Harrison. His strong endorsement played a role in the Texans’ latest WR trade. When in Columbus together, Stroud got to see Harrison start as a depth option behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave in Year 1 before exploding for team highs in catches (77), receiving yards (1,263), and receiving touchdowns (14) off the arm of Stroud in Year 2.

Rumors about Harrison receiving a fresh start have swirled over the course of the 2026 season. The 24-year-old did not take a step forward in production during his second NFL campaign, and Arizona’s stint with Jacoby Brissett in place at quarterback late in the year proved to be a case of foreshadowing. With Brissett leading the way on offense this season, Harrison has managed only five catches in four games while drawing only 13 targets. As the Cards move forward with a pass-catching group anchored by tight end Trey McBride and receiver Michael Wilson, Harrison will begin a new chapter early in his career.

Houston’s season has not gotten off to the start it expected. After finishing 12-5 last year and making the playoffs as a Wild Card team, there were hopes that the younger core of the team would take another step forward as the Texans aim to advance past the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s existence. Instead, a defense that gave up the fewest yards in the NFL and the second fewest points last year has regressed into a unit that had given up the 20th-fewest yards and the fifth-most points through four games to start the season.

The Texans offense has been able to produce to some extent, but the unit has struggled to put up points. Stroud’s favorite targets heading into Week 5 had been tight end Dalton Schultz (21 catches for 214 yards and zero touchdowns) and Xavier Hutchinson (12-166-0). Nico Collins (14-193-3) and Jaylin Noel (8-186-0) have been able to produce a bit better on fewer targets. Stroud does a good job spreading targets around the field, but Collins was the only receiver on the team with a touchdown heading into this week’s game.

Houston knew they had a problem as receiver Tank Dell was still working his way back from a brutal knee injury that saw tears to his ACL, MCL, and LCL along with a knee dislocation to start the year. Then, in the weeks leading up to the regular season, the team saw sophomore second-rounder Jayden Higgins suffer an ACL tear that would end his year before it began. After designating Dell for return from injured reserve at the roster cut deadline, the Texans opened his 21-day practice window this week, but he wasn’t able to be activated before today’s game.

To try and bolster their receiving corps, Houston traded for former Patriots wideout Kayshon Boutte. A former LSU sixth-rounder, Boutte became a surprise contributor in New England, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns in the past two years combined. As he’s been tasked with quickly picking up a brand new system, he had been able to produce nine catches on 13 targets for 115 yards heading into the week.

Now, Boutte isn’t the only new hire at the office. Harrison will make his way to Houston, where he, too, will be tasked with picking up a brand new offense. Luckily, the Texans runs a similar West Coast scheme that shouldn’t be too hard to learn, but Harrison will be learning a new playbook and discovering his new role on the fly. The Texans will hope Stroud can pull out the production Harrison showed in his rookie season and that his size will allow for the development of another red zone option for a team that’s struggled to score to start the year.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.