EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Garrett Wilson was practically glowing in the New York Jets’ postgame locker room on Sunday afternoon.
The former Ohio State wide receiver, who was selected in the top ten of the NFL Draft, was catching up on the latest updates regarding another ex-Buckeye pass-catcher chosen in the top ten.
And Wilson, who shared a locker room with Harrison for one college season in Columbus, was delighted to discover that the Arizona Cardinals were sending Harrison to the Houston Texans in a trade.
“I’m not even sure if I ought to say this, [but] I was praying a change would happen for him,” Wilson shared with Yahoo Sports following New York’s victory over the Browns. “The fact that it actually came to pass, and to a destination like Houston? Man, I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Who else benefits from this move involving a highly regarded prospect whose career failed to take flight over two-plus years in Arizona? Conversely, who might be disappointed that the Cardinals dispatched Harrison along with a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for second- and sixth-round choices in 2027?
Based on discussions with players and executives throughout the league, here is a look at the winners and losers from the trade, via Yahoo Sports:
Winners
Cardinals’ asset collection for their rebuild: It was an open secret across the NFL that Arizona was actively pursuing a second-round draft choice plus additional draft capital in exchange for their physically gifted wide receiver. However, multiple front offices spoken to in recent weeks were unconvinced Harrison merited that steep price. A talent scout from an NFC team mentioned last week that they believed there was “zero chance” Harrison was worth a second- or third-round selection. A senior AFC executive noted that for a Day 3 asset—meaning fourth round or later—taking a flyer on Harrison made sense, but not at a higher cost.
The Cardinals capitalized on a desperate Houston franchise that had far more reason to believe in Harrison’s potential than the other 31 teams. As a result, just two seasons and four games after choosing Harrison fourth overall, Arizona secures not only a second-round pick, but one situated in the talent-deep 2027 draft class. This comes even as rival teams trade premium 2028 picks (such as Baltimore acquiring Cam Jurgens or New England moving for A.J. Brown) to stockpile assets for that upcoming draft class.
C.J. Stroud: During Stroud’s time as Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 2022, Harrison produced a stellar 1,263 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches across 13 games. The duo combined for three touchdown strikes in the Rose Bowl alone that year. Teammates from that era frequently highlight the rapid on-field rapport the quarterback and wideout developed, their shared work ethic that kept them in the facility early, and the cerebral approach that helped them stay synchronized.
Stroud’s individual performance this season has exceeded Houston’s 1-4 record, as he has completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,402 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions over five contests, while adding 71 yards and a touchdown on the ground. However, the Texans’ receiving corps has been severely depleted. Tank Dell has yet to return from injured reserve following knee surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap and multiple torn ligaments sustained last December. Rookie Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending ACL tear during training camp. Meanwhile, Nico Collins missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to a hamstring strain pulled in practice. What can Harrison bring? “Their connection is virtually seamless,” Wilson noted. “C.J. doesn’t miss targets often anyway, but when you give him a receiver with that kind of catch radius who runs crisp routes? It’s going to be exciting to watch.”
Marvin Harrison Jr. and C.J. Stroud shared a dynamic connection during their collegiate days at Ohio State. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
(G Fiume via Getty Images)
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s career trajectory: This transaction likely came to fruition because of how significantly Harrison struggled during his time in Arizona. A series of health setbacks in 2025 (a concussion, appendicitis, and two separate heel injuries) paired with a sharp decrease in target volume this year meant he ended his Cardinals stint with 108 receptions for 1,578 yards and 13 touchdowns over 33 games (30 starts). Through four games this season, Harrison saw just 13 targets, hauling in five for 85 yards and one score. A senior AFC executive suggested Houston could spark a turnaround for reasons beyond his reunion with Stroud: player acquisitions often benefit from the fresh energy surrounding a new landing spot, leaving behind the heavy expectations tied to a high draft pick who hasn’t instantly materialized into a star. Another AFC front-office member noted that even during Harrison’s volatile tenure in Arizona, his elite speed, quickness, and mobility were evident on tape. If Houston can transform those bursts into consistent play, Texans fans have plenty of reason for optimism.
“I’m well aware of the support system he’ll have around him with the Texans,” Wilson stated. “I know what he’s capable of achieving. To me, it’s simply a matter of time before he explodes. He possesses immense talent, and now he’s alongside a quarterback he’s worked with before. Their chemistry is established—I witnessed it firsthand from day one at Ohio State. I can’t wait to watch it happen. You’ve got me hyped up.”
Houston’s opportunity to defy NFL history once more: Since 1979, only seven franchises in league history have recovered from an 0-3 start to reach the postseason, per NBC Sports. The Texans represent two of those seven turnarounds, most recently overcoming an 0-3 opening to finish 12-5 last year. Houston proved its playoff credentials with a decisive 30-6 wild-card win against the Steelers in Pittsburgh before falling 28-16 to the Patriots in the divisional round. Can the Texans pull off an even rarer rebound from an 0-4 start to qualify for the playoffs? Only one team—the 1992 Chargers—has ever accomplished that feat. Operating within a 17-game slate rather than 16, the 1-4 Texans have one extra game compared to those Chargers to prove their revamped roster can deliver. Will it prove sufficient?
LOSERS
The price of urgency: Houston was backed into a corner where they had to make a move. Head coach DeMeco Ryans had already stripped defensive coordinator Matt Burke of play-calling responsibilities last week. Combine that with an 0-4 start and a pressing need to finalize a long-term contract decision on Stroud, and Arizona was positioned to extract far more from the transaction than a less desperate franchise would have yielded. Should the Texans go deep into the postseason, this move might ultimately be validated. However, it remains notable that Houston’s defense has taken a step backward compared to last season. Keeping the winless Titans to three points in Sunday’s victory is an improvement over a loss, but Tennessee has failed to score more than 10 points in three of five games this season, making it an unreliable metric for defensive recovery. What will it take for Harrison—whose fifth-year option decision arrives in May—to justify relinquishing a cost-controlled 2027 second-rounder in a deep draft class? If Harrison fulfills his original draft evaluation, it will be money well spent. But after two-plus seasons plagued by injuries as he rushes to master a new playbook midseason, how likely is that outcome?
The ‘tape tells the whole story’ crowd: It is unfair to diminish Harrison’s collegiate resume and the game film that drove him to become the fourth overall pick. Over his college career, Harrison logged 2,613 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns, featuring two campaigns with over 1,200 yards and 14 scores. He demonstrated an ability to produce at an elite level with Stroud as well as with quarterback Kyle McCord. Consequently, Arizona felt confident investing heavily in him despite his choice to skip athletic testing at the NFL scouting combine. Two and a half years down the road, several talent evaluators question how impactful that missing data proved to be. While an AFC executive argued that real-game production outweighs artificial combine metrics, talent scouts from two NFC organizations pondered whether Harrison was “overdrafted” relative to his NFL production to date, due in part to a lack of verified physical testing parameters compared to historical benchmarks.
“The assumption was that he possessed elite speed, strength, and explosive movement, but now you have to wonder if his workout metrics [would have] turned out somewhat underwhelming,” an NFC talent evaluator told Yahoo Sports. “And if those numbers had come back below expectations, he wouldn’t have been selected nearly as high.”
NFC franchises outside the NFC West: The NFC West sent three representatives to the postseason last year: Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. All three secured at least one playoff victory, culminating in an NFC Championship matchup between the Rams and Seahawks before Seattle claimed the Super Bowl title against New England. The Rams entered this campaign with heavy Super Bowl expectations, while San Francisco and Seattle surged out of the gate stronger than Los Angeles over the first month. The Cardinals were already projected as the division’s weakest team, but losing Harrison further reduces their chances of pulling off an in-division upset on any given Sunday. Consequently, the likelihood of the division’s top three teams sweeping Arizona—enhancing their chances at securing not just division titles but wild-card berths—increases significantly.
Arizona’s remaining offensive personnel: Few anticipated Arizona winning many contests this season amidst a roster rebuild, uncertainty at quarterback, and a challenging schedule. Sitting at 1-4 after Sunday’s action, those low expectations remain unchanged. However, the offense’s capacity to execute within head coach Mike LaFleur’s scheme takes an immediate hit with Harrison’s departure. Even during a stretch where Harrison commanded a smaller target share, the defensive focus he drew away from teammates provided substantial value. Harrison was on the field for 74% of Arizona’s offensive snaps through the first four weeks. That presence allowed pass-catchers like Michael Wilson and Trey McBride to find soft spots in coverage, while helping running backs like Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier face fewer stacked defensive fronts. By 2027 and beyond, the accumulated draft picks, a long-term option at quarterback superior to Jacoby Brissett, and additional time in LaFleur’s system may yield results. In the immediate future, however, 2026 presents a tougher path for Arizona than it did a week ago.
