What Cardinals reportedly expect from Marvin Harrison Jr., Kyler Murray during 2025 season

The Arizona Cardinals are hoping that wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. improving upon somewhat of a disappointing rookie season will help the club earn its first playoff berth since the 2021 campaign. 

For an article published on Wednesday night, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched upon why people within the Cardinals are confident that Harrison will silence his critics later this fall. 

"[Harrison] was given goals to play faster and more physical and attack the ball more aggressively, and he’s responded with the benefit of having a full offseason as a pro and the added confidence that comes with experience," Breer wrote. "Generally, bigger receivers take a year to fully adjust anyway, and the Cardinals foresee a leap coming from a guy who’s playing more than he’s thinking now with the chance to focus on football alone." 

According to Pro Football Reference stats, Harrison finished last season fifth among rookies with 62 receptions and 885 receiving yards. The fourth overall pick of the 2024 draft was also tied for second among first-year pros with eight receiving touchdowns. 

Reporters noticed during springtime workouts that Harrison, who was previously listed at 205 pounds, added some muscle weight during the offseason. According to Breer, Harrison is now up to 220 pounds. 

Meanwhile, whispers emerged throughout pockets of 2025 suggesting that quarterback Kyler Murray could be facing a make-or-break season regarding his Arizona tenure. He signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $230.5M with $160M guaranteed in the summer of 2022, but still has zero playoff wins on his career resume.

"Murray looks comfortable and confident going into Year 7, his third running (offensive coordinator) Drew Petzing’s offense," Breer added. "The key now will be balancing all the splash plays he’s capable of with the routine, mundane stuff — which has always been the challenge — so the offense can stay on schedule and avoid the big mistakes you saw toward the end of 2024." 

Specifically, Breer said that "turnover margin was a big part of how a 6–4 record heading into the bye crumbled into a 2–5 finish" as it pertains to the 2024 Cardinals. Per The Football Database, Arizona finished last season 18th in the league with a -3 turnover differential.

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Arizona at +115 betting odds to make the playoffs this season. Murray and Co. could offer quite a response to such projections by notching a big win when the Cardinals open the upcoming campaign with a matchup at what's expected to be a bad New Orleans Saints team on Sept. 7.