Cardinals GM says Marvin Harrison Jr. did not request trade, explains ‘weird’ timing

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort addressed his blockbuster Marvin Harrison Jr. trade on Friday, nearly two weeks later, saying the third-year wide receiver did not request a trade.

Ossenfort told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke the timing of the deal was a product of the Houston Texans’ aggressiveness to add Harrison. The trade also sent a seventh-rounder to Houston, which dealt second- and sixth-round picks to Arizona.

Harrison was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and moving on less than three years later was a major pivot. The GM called the compensation significant and an opportunity that made the most sense for the franchise.

“He wanted to perform, so I think there was some frustration on his end that he wasn’t performing and wasn’t producing like he felt,” Ossenfort said. “I think those were conversations that happened throughout the week, not just leading up to the trade deadline, but those were discussions that we had. This was an opportunity that presented itself and one that we acted on.”

The trade came together quickly, Ossenfort described, on Friday, Oct. 9. The Cardinals were entering a game week against the Detroit Lions, while Ossenfort had just downplayed to Wolf & Luke the potential of a Harrison trade.

Reports came out on Saturday morning that Harrison would be traded, but the destination was not reported until the following day. Ossenfort admitted the timing was “weird” but explained why it went down that way.

“It was later on Friday, so that’s why we wanted to make sure to tell Marvin,” Ossenfort said. “Not only for Marvin, but for our team Saturday morning that there was a trade pending and so we were not going to play Marvin in the game on Sunday. We respected that Houston was getting on a plane for a road game and when you trade for a player, you have to make a corresponding transaction. We wanted to respect Houston’s desires moving forward. So that’s why, from our standpoint, we wanted to inform Marv that there was a trade occurring but that’s why the team didn’t come out until after. … So that’s how the timeline went.”

Harrison played 33 games for Arizona and collected 111 receptions for 1,612 yards and 13 touchdowns. His rookie season was his most productive.

ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reported that Harrison hired agents with the goal of facilitating a trade, as he was uneasy about Arizona’s quarterback situation.

Harrison told reporters in Houston that he was eager to move forward, taking accountability for some of what went wrong while declining to elaborate on what he learned in Arizona.

Ossenfort was also asked about whether this trade caused any job security concerns considering the GM let go a top five pick while his team got off to a 1-3 start at that point. Ossenfort’s record as the general manager is 17-40.

“My role is always to do what’s best for the team,” Ossenfort said. “It’s always to do what’s best for the team in terms of the information that we have at that specific time. That’s what I’ve always done. That’s what I will always continue to do, what the right move is for the team. It may be different as weeks go by, but at that time, we believe that was the best move for the team. And that’s what we did.”

The Cardinals take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday with three games left to play before the trade deadline on Nov. 10.

 

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