HOUSTON — The Houston Texans are adding wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. in a major midseason trade with the Arizona Cardinals, giving quarterback C.J. Stroud another high-profile target as the team tries to recover from a difficult start.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed the acquisition Sunday after Houston’s 26–3 road victory over the Tennessee Titans. Arizona coach Mike LaFleur also acknowledged that Harrison was headed to Houston.
According to the NFL and the Associated Press, the Texans will receive Harrison and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick. Arizona will receive Houston’s second- and sixth-round selections in the 2027 draft. The clubs had not released a complete joint transaction announcement when the terms were reported.
The deal reunites Harrison with Stroud, his former quarterback at Ohio State. The two were teammates during Harrison’s breakout college seasons, and Stroud praised the receiver’s route running, work ethic and ability to make difficult catches.
Harrison, 24, entered the NFL as the fourth overall selection in the 2024 draft. Across his first two professional seasons, he recorded 103 receptions for 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns. His production fell sharply through four games this season, however, with five catches for 85 yards and one touchdown. Arizona held him out of Sunday’s loss to Detroit while the trade was being completed.
Houston hopes a familiar quarterback and a new offensive setting can help Harrison regain the form that made him one of college football’s most celebrated receivers. He joins a position group led by Nico Collins, while Tank Dell has recently returned to practice.
The move arrives at a critical point for the Texans. Sunday’s victory was their first of the season, improving their record to 1–4 after four consecutive losses. The team entered the year with postseason expectations but now faces an uphill climb in the AFC South.
Reuters reported that Ryans revealed the trade at the close of his postgame news conference. For Houston, the aggressive deal signals that the organization still intends to compete now rather than treat the slow start as a lost season.
