NFL Legend Sets Record Straight on Marvin Harrison Jr.

Cris Carter says Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. had a fine rookie campaign.

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For so much talk on how the rookie campaign for Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. was disappointing, NFL legend Cris Carter wants to pump the brakes.

Harrison arrived to the desert with massive expectations of changing Arizona's offense overnight, though that didn't quite happen. Harrison struggled at times throughout his first season as a pro, though Carter says the Ohio State product had an outstanding rookie season when speaking with Kyle Odegard:

“I watched him an awful lot. I thought he had a really good rookie season adjusting to pro football. A lot of times people don’t realize, especially for these high draft picks, that their season goes so long. Their offseason leads right into the Combine, so they don’t really have an offseason. They don’t really have an offseason, so these kids hit that wall. You could see in certain periods during the season that he looked a little bit fatigued, which we expect," said Carter.

"But I thought he had an outstanding season for a rookie. Almost 1,000 yards. Tied the rookie Cardinal record for touchdowns there. All really good ways to start his NFL career there with the Cardinals.”

Harrison finished with 885 yards on 62 receptions for eight touchdowns, and Carter believes he can emerge as a Pro Bowl-caliber wideout moving into his sophomore season.

“Yeah, I think he’s a big-time player. How long will it be until he makes the Pro Bowl? I don’t know that. Given the number of receivers we have in the NFC – AJ Brown, Deebo Samuel, Justin Jefferson – it’s hard to make the Pro Bowl," Carter said.

"They throw those things on people like, ‘Next year he’ll make the Pro Bowl.’ Eventually he will make the Pro Bowl, but the measuring stick shouldn’t be Pro Bowl in his second year.”