What do we do with Marvin Harrison Jr?

[Zalixar]

Why would you trade him? It’s not like he is expensive or holding any other player down on the depth chart. This is a dumb thread.

I wouldn't have really thought of it for reasons you stated, but since we're entertaining the idea. I can't wait to see what JG has in store for him next year. He's gunna break out with Brisket or some 3rd round QB, just you watch.

At least he still has the illusion of great potential. I guess?

 

[kerouac9]

Marv still has one more year to turn it around. Year 3 breakouts still happen

Years 1 and 2 are not promising at all. He has shown nothing on the field that would make me think he can be a real #1 WR. The only reason I'm even holding out hope is because he was taken #4 overall, I have no rational reason to think he can breakout.

I was going to say, “maybe he can be like the Chargers Quinton Johnson and break out in year 3.” Then I looked and Johnson went from a guy who was completely useless to one who is basically Michael Wilson.

Sad!

Why would you trade him? It’s not like he is expensive or holding any other player down on the depth chart. This is a dumb thread.

We should have more 2026 draft threads instead. Might as well start a conversation that won’t be resolved until late April.

I think the conversation has shifted from “we have to optimize the offense for Marvin Harrison Jr” to “we need more diversity in our passing offense.”

Some of that will come at the expense of Trey McBride. Some will come at the expense of Marvin Harrison Jr. he’s shown he can (maybe) be part of the solution to a toothless aerial attack, but isn’t good enough to solve it himself.

 

[Zalixar]

I was going to say, “maybe he can be like the Chargers Quinton Johnson and break out in year 3.” Then I looked and Johnson went from a guy who was completely useless to one who is basically Michael Wilson.

Sad!



We should have more 2026 draft threads instead. Might as well start a conversation that won’t be resolved until late April.

I think the conversation has shifted from “we have to optimize the offense for Marvin Harrison Jr” to “we need more diversity in our passing offense.”

Some of that will come at the expense of Trey McBride. Some will come at the expense of Marvin Harrison Jr. he’s shown he can (maybe) be part of the solution to a toothless aerial attack, but isn’t good enough to solve it himself.

Every conversation is talking out the azz anyway since we don't know for sure who's taking the reigns next year. We aren't trading him anyway.

Pass the hopium and color me shocked if MHJ has a good or breakout year next year.

 

[Chopper0080]

I was going to say, “maybe he can be like the Chargers Quinton Johnson and break out in year 3.” Then I looked and Johnson went from a guy who was completely useless to one who is basically Michael Wilson.

Sad!



We should have more 2026 draft threads instead. Might as well start a conversation that won’t be resolved until late April.

I think the conversation has shifted from “we have to optimize the offense for Marvin Harrison Jr” to “we need more diversity in our passing offense.”

Some of that will come at the expense of Trey McBride. Some will come at the expense of Marvin Harrison Jr. he’s shown he can (maybe) be part of the solution to a toothless aerial attack, but isn’t good enough to solve it himself.

Heading into 2026, the best part of the team is the passing attack sans the QB.

 

[BigRedMO]

Why does Big Red keep drafting bad players, with picks that should be automatic? Does Big Red just read the internet and do what the "talking heads" and their mock drafts with no credentials say or do they scout the players and talk to people? Recruit Fitzgerald to go play catch with Harrison before the pick or if against the rules send Fitzgerald to pro day. Should be obvious Harrison's awful grasp on the fundamentals should have exposed him as not a a generational talent like everyone said on this site. Shameful that his dad didnt prepare his kid. Harrison does not seem to understand that he should catch balls with his hands. I was against Harrison. I dont like any WRs early in the draft. There are pass catchers everywhere. Even Fitz lacked the winner instinct. Late in career when obvious Big Red wasnt going to win a Super Bowl he declined opportunity to go to NE with Brady. Jackie Smith, Williams and Boldin wanted to be a champion.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

Why does Big Red keep drafting bad players, with picks that should be automatic? Does Big Red just read the internet and do what the "talking heads" and their mock drafts with no credentials say or do they scout the players and talk to people? Recruit Fitzgerald to go play catch with Harrison before the pick or if against the rules send Fitzgerald to pro day. Should be obvious Harrison's awful grasp on the fundamentals should have exposed him as not a a generational talent like everyone said on this site. Shameful that his dad didnt prepare his kid. Harrison does not seem to understand that he should catch balls with his hands. I was against Harrison. I dont like any WRs early in the draft. There are pass catchers everywhere.

Probably a mix of not paying your scouts and the owner having draft input

 

[Russ Smith]

Get some coaches that know what the hell they are doing

So coaches that are allowed to go on the field and catch the ball for him?

 

[Cheesebeef]

IMO never trade low. Better to be patient.

Worked wonders with Kyler…

 

[Mulli]

Worked wonders with Kyler…

Citation needed on the time you were patient.

HEyO!

 

[Russ Smith]

You can't answer the question without knowing who is the OC. If we change the whole staff you likely bring him back. If we fire Petzing and put in an OC who can feature more than one Wr, you bring him back, if we keep Petzing you should trade him and make Wilson the Wr1. Or the other option is make Wilson the WR1 and Marv Wr2, Mike the X Marv the Y or whatever they call it.

The current offense does NOT utilize both Wr's, even today with them basically acting like McBride was Steph Curry, the guy who picked up the targets wasn't Marv, it was Higgins.

So many TD drops in 2 years and he's just not a guy that's always open. His catch per target number is much better this year but he's still not very good. He hasn't had a 100 yard game this season

 

[Proteus]

So coaches that are allowed to go on the field and catch the ball for him?

Believe it or not, MHJ's true catch rate (catch rate on balls deemed "catchable") has actually increased somewhat this season. It's gone from 78% for the 2024 season to 87% (based on PlayerProfiler.com stats that don't include today's game yet).

 

[Cheesebeef]

Is there any video of Marv’s drop? I wasn’t watching in that moment and the masochistic part of me needs to see it… for reasons completely beyond me.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Wilson going ham for weeks without Harrison and then only getting 3 looks all game again just doesn’t make sense.

 

[Russ Smith]

Believe it or not, MHJ's true catch rate (catch rate on balls deemed "catchable") has actually increased somewhat this season. It's gone from 78% for the 2024 season to 87% (based on PlayerProfiler.com stats that don't include today's game yet).

Oh he's better this year than last year IMO.TD's are down but I think that's because JB targets Trey in the redzone where Kyler went to Marv. His catch to target ratio is better, he's had some YAC this year compared to last year.

I saw a guy online saying we should trade Wilson because Marv's on a rookie deal and Mike will likely get a big new deal. While I get the thought, I'd much rather keep the guy who competes over the guy who doesn't. Dick Vitale used to talk about "all airport" teams in basketball which was guys who looked like great players walking through the airport but didn't do it on the court, so far that's Marv IMO

 

[Proteus]

Wilson going ham for weeks without Harrison and then only getting 3 looks all game again just doesn’t make sense.

He was getting essentially his and MHJ's target share when MHJ was out. It'd be nice if we could if we have a good balance in target shares for MHJ, Wilson, and McBride though.

 

[some dumb guy]

This should probably be a separate post but...

Who do you think would win in a pillow fight between K1 and MHJ?
Neither like being hit...MHJ has the height advantage but K1 has the quickness

 

[Zalixar]

This should probably be a separate post but...

Who do you think would win in a pillow fight between K1 and MHJ?
Neither like being hit...MHJ has the height advantage but K1 has the quickness

The pillows

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Is there any video of Marv’s drop? I wasn’t watching in that moment and the masochistic part of me needs to see it… for reasons completely beyond me.

It was the same drop he always has. Was soft and lazy coming back to get the ball then tried to catch it with his body. Just a really bad play.

 

[Redsz]

He was getting essentially his and MHJ's target share when MHJ was out. It'd be nice if we could if we have a good balance in target shares for MHJ, Wilson, and McBride though.

That is beyond Petzings capabilities.

 

[slanidrac16]

There are players on this team that can play and be very good.
We hear it from the horses mouth every week.”We have to coach them up better. We have to put players in a position to win and that starts with us.”

CORRECT! THIS STAFF IS NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THAT. We’ve watched it for 3 years. And it’s not just the last 3 or 4 games. THREE YEARS.

 

[moosehead]

Why would you trade him? It’s not like he is expensive or holding any other player down on the depth chart. This is a dumb thread.

Hahaha sorry to start a dumb thread. I don't have the football acumen many of you have. I was genuinely curious...

 

[Zalixar]

Hahaha sorry to start a dumb thread. I don't have the football acumen many of you have. I was genuinely curious...

Nah, you're fine. Everything is just shooting the ish. Nothing we say matters, so it's all fair game and entertainment. I want more pillow fighting analysis

 

[Cheesebeef]

Okay… I just saw the drop.

Why in the world is he JUMPING there?! He’s got position. Put your hands up and just catch the ball.

Great googly moogly man…

 

[Cardinal88]

Million dollar question.... what to do with Marv? We have to keep him for through his contract year 4 to see what happens with the proper support.

Look, he is not the gererational talent that almost every analyst projected - catches too much with his body, doesn't run crisp routes, isn't quick or fast, and looks like his confidence is shot. Tack on the incompetence of the OC plus whatever happened to the OL (losing OL coach to Dallas?) and you can see that Marv just never had a chance.

I think he can be a solid receiver if there was also a competent offensive coordinator, there is a solid running game, and we figure out how to make the OL better.

 

[Phrazbit]

I cannot imagine he's worth hardly anything in a trade. Maybe a 3rd rounder? I doubt it though.

Give him another year and hope he is a late bloomer. Cutting him doesn't help. That drop today was really bad, and he's had several worse previously.

Massive disappointment. He's had 2 or 3 really impressive plays (in his career) and outside those moments he's been either invisible or embarrassing.