Image via Caitlyn Epes/Arizona Cardinals
From an outsider’s perspective, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals was an overwhelming success. The 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner at Ohio State played all but one game, ranked second among NFL rookie wideouts in touchdowns with eight and finished in the top five in that same category in both receiving yards (885, fifth) and receptions (62, fifth).
But the former No. 4 overall pick in the draft sees it differently. With expectations sky high for the Buckeye product coming out of college, Harrison feels there is more room to grow in year No. 2 in the NFL. That mentality was obvious when he walked into his first press conference of the offseason looking noticeably stronger than he was as a rookie or college player.
“I definitely put on some pounds, I put some muscle on my body a little bit,” Harrison told local Cardinals media in a press conference held on Tuesday.
“There’s always room for improvement, no matter how every season goes, I’m always looking to improve and get better for next season,” Harrison added.
Harrison, who did not disclose how many pounds he gained over the offseason, said that his physical transformation came naturally due to him simply eating much more than he did in college. Regardless of how he made the change, the wideout thinks the extra weight he put on will help him on the field next season as he tries to create separation and perform against physical NFL defensive backs.
“Football is a physical game, there are a lot of contested catch situations, run-after-catch, things like that (for a wide receiver),” Harrison said. “We’ll see how things play out throughout OTA’s, and training camp we’ll see how that goes.”
Aside from his physical changes, Harrison also thinks he has naturally grown more comfortable in the Cardinals’ organization and system, which he thinks can translate to him having a better understanding of the playbook and what is required of him on the field. Helping Harrison grow more comfortable in his role in Arizona has been the franchise’s unquestioned best-ever player and wide receiver, future first-ballot Hall of Famer and 11-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald.
“Fitz is even a better person than he is a football person, he’s just a great guy,” Harrison said. “I know he’s always there for me, whatever questions I may have, I know he’s always available and I can go to him whenever I want. I’m very thankful for that.”
Fitzgerald, who trailed only Jerry Rice in all-time career receiving yards with 17,492 in 17 seasons, had high praise for Harrison when asked about him at quarterback Kyle Murray’s celebrity softball game held on Saturday night. He said the former OSU standout can only grow from his rookie season and has shown signs in the locker room and weight room that he is ready to ascend in year No. 2.
“I heard him say he could have done better, but I think he had a really productive first year and he’s well on his way to a 1,000-yard season this year,” Fitzgerald said. “I talk to guys (around the team) and they say he works his tail off. Tirelessly working on catching the ball, route running, and the things that can help. When you have that kind of work ethic and determination, with a quarterback as talented as (Murray), good things will happen.”
While Fitzgerald is projecting Harrison to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time in his NFL career, Harrison himself isn’t focused on producing on an individual level. At the top of his list of goals for next season is helping the Cardinals win the NFC West division and host a playoff game, something the franchise has not done since 2015 when Fitzgerald was catching passes.
“That’s why they brought me here, to help this team win games,” Harrison said. “Improvement for me (next season) is winning more games than last year. I want to get a home playoff game for Arizona. I actually went to the (Rams-Vikings Wild Card Game last January that was played in Glendale, Ariz., due to the Los Angeles wildfires), and it was like, ‘There is a team playing the playoffs in our building.’ It just didn’t feel right.”
