Marvin Harrison Jr.’s tenure with the Cardinals is done. Others might follow out the door

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The clunky conclusion to Marvin Harrison Jr.’s flameout with the Arizona Cardinals was the lowlight this week for a franchise that’s had a lot of them in recent seasons.

It’s fair to wonder if others in the organization could soon be following the former No. 4 overall pick out the door.

Harrison’s awkward trade to the Houston Texans — which happened in the middle of the Cardinals’ embarrassing 45-21 loss to the Detroit Lions — was another stain on general manager Monti Ossenfort’s resume. Ossenfort has a 16-40 record after three-plus seasons in the desert and things don’t look like they’re getting better anytime soon.

“Decisions like this are never easy,” Ossenfort said in a statement after the Harrison trade became official Monday. “Ultimately, we have to do what is best for our football team and that will always be the driving factor. We are extremely grateful to Marvin for what he has contributed to our organization and wish him the very best as he moves forward in his career.”

Ossenfort’s draft history — particularly with first-round selections — hasn’t been great. The Cardinals selected left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 6 in 2023, and he’s been good, but not necessarily the franchise anchor that many expected. Now he’s out for the season with a torn left biceps.

Harrison obviously didn’t work out and the Cardinals’ other pick in the first round in 2024 was No. 27 selection Darius Robinson, a defensive lineman who has failed to make much impact. In 2025, the Cardinals selected defensive lineman Walter Nolen III, who has flashed some potential but has struggled with injuries and hasn’t consistently produced.

Ossenfort isn’t the only one under pressure in the organization.

Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis had another rough day against the Lions. Arizona’s defense has given up 37 points per game during the four-game losing streak.

First-year coach Mike LaFleur inherited Rallis from the previous staff and — at least for now — still believes he’s the man for the job.

“We just haven’t consistently done it for 60 minutes,” LaFleur said. “We need to tackle that. There’s going to be no changes with play-callers, but we’re looking at how to improve this defense and make sure that we are better than what we’re putting out there. … I do believe we have the right guys on defense to play better.”

Finally, there’s quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s situation. The 33-year-old Brissett had another decent statistical game vs. the Lions with 292 yards passing, three touchdowns and an interception, but he has a 2-15 record as the team’s starter over the past two seasons.

It’s fair to wonder if the Cardinals might look to the future and give rookie Carson Beck a shot under center. The 24-year-old was a third-round selection out of Miami and had some good moments during the preseason.

What’s working

All-Pro tight end Trey McBride continues to be among the best players in the NFL. He caught nine passes for 66 yards, including an unreal nine-yard catch in the fourth quarter where he fought for a contested ball, snagging it out of the air and somehow keeping both feet down in the end zone. The only blemish was the highlight happened after the game was out of hand.

What needs help

The Cardinals’ running game didn’t do much at all against the Lions. Rookie Jeremiyah Love gained just 22 yards on 12 carries and he was constantly swallowed at the line of scrimmage. Arizona had to make changes along the offensive line last week with Johnson going on season-ending injured reserve and right guard Isaiah Adams (ankle) out for at least four weeks. The early results were shaky.

Stock up

There were a lot of people — including droves of Cardinals fans — who probably didn’t know that third-string TE Teagan Quitoriano was even on the roster. But he came up big Sunday, catching two TD passes, including the first score which briefly gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead. The 26-year-old has emerged as another threat in a deep tight end room that includes McBride and Elijah Higgins.

Stock down

Love — the No. 3 overall pick out of Notre Dame — is a talented player who has already displayed explosive and shifty moments out of the backfield. But with the Cardinals’ offensive line looking a little rough, it might be hard to unlock his potential.

Injuries

The Cardinals emerged from the game relatively healthy.

Key number

9 — That’s the length of the team’s current home losing streak, which is a franchise record for an organization that dates to 1920.

Next steps

The Cardinals travel to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

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