The Marvin Harrison Jr. trade rumblings began in late September. That aligns with the point when then-Cardinals third-year wide receiver hired agents, with the purpose of finding a trade destination high on the power brokers’ priority list. Harrison’s goal was to facilitate a trade, according to ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss, who adds the former No. 4 overall pick first contacted potential agents in mid-September. The NFLPA added Tory Dandy and Todd France as Harrison’s reps Sept. 23, matching the date of the first Harrison trade rumors (though, news of the agent component did not leak until Oct. 8). As the ball rolled from there, the Texans swooped in and gave the Cardinals a 2027 second-round pick — in a deal also involving a Day 3 swap — for the disgruntled wideout.
Harrison expressed doubt about the Cards’ future at quarterback, Weinfuss adds, with the uncertainty surrounding the timelines of Jacoby Brissett and Carson Beck at the forefront of the concern. While GM Monti Ossenfort said the Cardinals were not interested in trading Harrison, he informed the receiver’s new agency interest was coming in days later. Frustration on Harrison’s part showed, as Weinfuss indicates the Ohio State alum stopped taking coaches’ phone calls during his Arizona stay.
The Cardinals showed their hand by extending Michael Wilson (three years, $75MM) this summer, though Weinfuss adds disconnect between team and player emerged during his rookie year. Harrison wanted the Cardinals to buy a Jugs machine, a Monarc Sport Seeker, he used at Ohio State. The team considered it for around a month but refused, per Weinfuss, who adds the then-rookie bought the machine — which runs from $38-$50K — himself.
This marked one of the earliest instances of a team giving up on a top-10 wide receiver pick in the past 50-plus years. Houston is in the early stages of gauging Harrison’s fit; the Texans have a fifth-year option decision to make by May. Here is the latest from the receiver ranks:
The Saints might finally see their 2026 first-round pick on the field this week. Jordyn Tyson has not seen his practice window opened yet, but that could happen as soon as Wednesday. Designated for return August 30, Tyson could play as soon as Week 9 against the Browns, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Tyson, who suffered a significant hamstring injury during training camp (the latest in a concerning run of those setbacks for the talented prospect), traveled with the Saints to Paris in Week 7. He then had a bye week to progress further. A two-month recovery timetable surfaced after Tyson’s mid-August injury. We are now at the 10-week mark, pointing to a near-future reemergence from a player who wowed at Saints camp.
In less positive wideout news, Michael Pittman Jr. said the foot injury that sent him to IR was plantar fasciitis and “morphed into something else,” per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo. The March Steelers trade pickup has been out since Week 4. He is eligible for an IR-return designation, but that does not appear close. Pittman resumed running only recently and said no timetable is in place for a return. Pittsburgh gave Pittman a new deal (two years, $35MM) that included a $24MM guarantee at signing. Per usual with Steelers pacts, no guarantees are in place beyond Year 1 of the deal. The Steelers have been linked to WR trades for a bit now, being connected to Brian Thomas Jr. and Josh Downsin particular. Pittman’s timetable (or lack thereof) has undoubtedly contributed to the team’s interest in complementing D.K. Metcalf and Germie Bernard.
Former Browns wide receiver David Bell filed a civil suit against doctors in Philadelphia County, Pa., after complications from a May 2025 surgery led to an October 2025 retirement, according to The Athletic’s Mark Puleo and Jonathan Jones. The doctors involved in the $300MM suit are not connected with the Browns, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes. Bell, 25, played three seasons with Cleveland before his early retirement.