Should the Dolphins Make a Play for Harrison (And Should They Have Gone After Porter?)

As part of the Miami Dolphins' rebuilding project, they've been looking all over the place to find talented young players who just might need an opportunity to showcase their ability.

The process almost exclusively has involved unproven players with little fanfare, whether as NFL players or coming into the league.

But what if the Dolphins had the chance of landing a different kind of young player, say, someone who entered the NFL as a high draft pick but hasn't panned out yet and could be available via trade.

Someone like Marvin Harrison Jr.

The son of the Hall of Fame wide receiver of the same name has been a major disappointing since being the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and, as part of a weekly ESPN buzz story, Jeremy Fowler suggested that teams are monitoring the Arizona Cardinals and their possible desire to trade Harrison at some point this year.

As part of the story, Fowler wrote that one team suggested there would be a market for Harrison, but maybe for nothing more than a "quality Day 3 pick," meaning basically a fourth-round selection.

Harrison's struggles have been surprising to many considering he was viewed as a high-end and safe prospect coming out of Ohio State, and one team evaluator told Fowler perhaps he simply needs a fresh start.

SHOULD THE DOLPHINS PURSUE HARRISON?

The immediate reflex is to suggest the Dolphins absolutely should get involved if/when the Cardinals open up the market for Harrison if the price is right.

The gamble, of course, would be that Harrison can regain the form he showed at Ohio State, where he again was considered a great prospect — maybe not quite in the same league as current Buckeyes star Jeremiah Smith, but not that far behind, either.

From a compensation standpoint, bringing in Harrison would be entirely worth gambling a fourth-round pick because we're again talking about the fourth overall pick in a draft.

The next aspect to consider is Harrison's contract, which is substantially more expensive than the players the Dolphins have been chasing and signing in 2026 (outside of Malik Willis, of course).

Harrison is in the third year of his rookie contract and he's due $4 million and $5.6 million in salary and roster bonus money over the next two years, with whatever team employs him then having the option of exercising his fifth-year option for 2028. Arizona already has paid his $22.5 million signing bonus and is cap-responsible for it as well.

The Dolphins absolutely have the cap space to make this work, both this year and certainly next year when they're looking at some $100 million of cap space with which to operate.

Adding Harrison would give the Dolphins a quartet of young wide receivers with 2026 draft picks Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman Jr. and, at least in terms of experience, might be more beneficial in the short term than taking Smith at or near the top of the 2027 draft.

The question, of course, is whether Harrison can turn around his career with a new team, assuming the Cardinals even ever decide to try to trade him.

This is where Jon-Eric Sullivan's evaluation skills will be put to the test.

We'd also suggest here that if that kind of trade ever came to pass, that should eliminate the idea of taking Smith at the top of the draft next year because at some point it would become a case of devoting too many resources to one position.

But any decision on Harrison would have to follow a thorough examination as to what has gone wrong so far for him in Arizona.

If a clear answer can be found, it would be hard to suggest the Dolphins shouldn't make that move — if the opportunity presented itself.

PASSING ON PORTER

That situation was a bit different than what went on with Joey Porter Jr., who was traded this week from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional sixth-round selection.

Porter was moved not because of underperformance but rather because of a contract dispute that had him sit out the first three games of the season because of a mysterious (code word for phantom) back injury.

The son of the one-time former Dolphins linebacker of the same name, Joey Porter Jr. is in the last year of his rookie contract as a former second-round pick and wanted an extension. And now handling that contract situation has become the Dallas Cowboys' problem.

Porter is a good cover cornerback who absolutely has No. 1 ability, even if he's not in the same class as Surtain, Stingley or Gonzalez, but he also draw quite a few flags for his very handsy style.

There was no indication whatsoever the Dolphins made a call to inquire about Porter, but it probably was for the best because they didn't really needed the headache of a contract battle in the middle of the regular season while having to part with a premium pick on top of it.

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