Texans Trade for Marvin Harrison Jr. Could Be Exactly What Offense Needs

The Houston Texans have had no shortage of receiver troubles three weeks into the 2026 NFL season.

Especially in the two games that their No. 1 target, Nico Collins, has been out of the mix with a hamstring injury, the flaws in the Texans' receiver room have really started to show, which might force this front office into making a move to add talent at the position midway through the season.

As to whether the Texans will decide to make a move at receiver remains to be seen. In fairness, Houston did already make a trade to bring in Kayshon Boutte before the season even started, so the front office might not be too eager to double-dip in their investments at the position.

However, if there was real interest in adding another dose of talent via trade, there is one obvious target that Houston could look towards to pursue––that being Arizona Cardinals wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., who's been in no shortage of trade rumors throughout the past several weeks.

Texans Could Have a Route to Trade for Marvin Harrison Jr.

According to some recent intel from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, teams continue to monitor Harrison Jr.'s situation "closely," with one team expecting the Cardinals' price range to be a "high quality Day 3 pick" if they were to trade him.

Teams are continuing to watch the Marvin Harrison Jr. situation closely, wondering if he would become available," Fowler reported. "He would have a market, though not for a high pick (possibly a quality Day 3 pick, as one team forecasted)."

The Texans do have that type of draft capital to give up, if they were truly interested in Harrison Jr.'s services.

Houston only has three Day 3 picks in their 2027 and 2028 drafts. Yet in that stash, the Texans do have a pair of fourth-rounders. Giving up just one of those could be enough to present a competitive offer for the Cardinals and allow both sides to go in a new direction.

Sep 27, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And for the Texans, adding someone of Harrison Jr.'s caliber in a midseason acquisition, all for just the price of a mid-round draft pick, could be their best route to try and patch up this passing offense in relatively quick fashion.

Harrison Jr.'s start to his 2026 season, or really even his NFL career as a whole, has not gone quite as expected. It was only a few years ago when he was viewed as one of the most appealing young receiver talents that the league had to offer, but in due time, has increasingly looked out of sorts at his current home in Arizona.

But a new situation with the Texans––one that is in desperate need of playmakers in their receiver room––could be the perfect change of scenery that he benefits immensely from.

He won't have the pressure of being a No. 1 option next to a star like Collins, slots into a winning situation where he can get immediate opportunities, and maybe most notably, he gets to pair back up with his college quarterback from Ohio State in hopes that they can reclaim some of their chemistry from a few years ago at the next level.

Bottom Line

For the right price, adding Harrison Jr. to the mix makes perfect sense for the Texans that feel destined to make a change offensively, if they want different results from their bleak 0-3 start to the year.

As to whether the Cardinals would be willing to part ways with their former top pick for a fourth-round pick, or if the Texans actually pull the trigger on a deal for a player as uncertain as Harrison Jr. remains to be seen.

But on paper, it's easy to see why the Texans could be near the top of the list as the best potential suitors in the event Harrison is on the move before this year's NFL trade deadline.

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