Category: Arizona Cardinals

What jersey number will Marvin Harrison Jr. have with the Cardinals?

The way things look now, he won’t be able to have a number that is at all related to the No. 18 he wore while at Ohio State.

The Arizona Cardinals made receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday. While most people thought about the on-field impact he will have for the Cardinals, bolstering the passing game and giving quarterback Kyler Murray an alpha receiver to throw to.

However, those who are also fans of NFL gear wondered what number he will wear with the Cardinals.

It is a good question, even when fans aren’t able to get a Harrison jersey yet, as he has not signed a licensing agreement with the NFLPA yet.

He wore No. 18 for Ohio State.

Right now, that isn’t an option, as it belongs to linebacker BJ Ojulari, the Cardinals’ second-round pick last year.

Because he was a first-round pick, he got to hold a No. 1 jersey with his name on it when he was drafted. He can’t really wear No. 1 because that is Kyler Murray’s number.

His father, Marvin Harrison, is a Hall of Famer who played for the Indianapolis Colts. Could the son wear his father’s number — No. 88? That’s also a no, as that number is retired for J.V. Cain, who died in 1979 during practice.

No. 8? Also a no. That number if retired for Hall of Fame safety Larry Wilson.

No. 11? That would be bold. It isn’t retired for Larry Fitzgerald but it hasn’t been worn since Fitzgerald quietly retired. That number is expected to be retired.

No. 81 is a possibility. Murray wore a No. 81 Anquan Boldin jersey during the first round of the draft, perhaps a sign of what Harrison will wear?

Even still, No. 81 now belongs to tight end Travis Vokelek.

The way things stand, he will have to wear a jersey that has nothing to do with or even similar to what he wore in college.

When it happens, though, it will certainly be a hot-selling item.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals GM teases trade in 2nd round

Monti Ossenfort said Thursday that “options are going to be plentiful for teams that are interested in coming up to us.”

The Arizona Cardinals were the subject of many trade rumors leading up to the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Ultimately, they did not make any trades in the first round, selecting receiver Marvin Harrison fourth overall and defensive lineman Darius Robinson 27th overall on Thursday.

But a deal might be coming.

Following the first round, general manager Monti Ossenfort suggested they could be making a trade in the second round of the draft, which starts Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. Arizona time.

“I think our options are going to be plentiful for teams that are interested in coming up to us,” he said. “Just as today, I think we’ll be ready to pick a player at 35 and I think we’ll also have plenty of options in case we (want) to move around a little bit.”

The Cardinals currently have the 35th pick, a second-round selection, and the 66th, 71st and 90th picks, all in the third round.

They will be busy on Day 2 of the draft.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Former Cardinals OL Korey Cunningham found dead at home in New Jersey

Cunningham was 28 years old. He was a seventh-round pick of the Cardinals in 2018.

Former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Korey Cunningham, age 28, was found dead in his residence Thursday, reported RLS Media.

Police and emergency medical services responded to the scene shortly before 3:30 p.m. after reports emerged of an unconscious man at the location.

Upon arrival, officials discovered Cunningham and promptly notified the medical examiner.

Per the report, Cunningham’s death was self-inflicted.

He was drafted in the seventh round by the Cardinals in 2018, starting the final six games of the season.

He was traded before the 2019 season to the New England Patriots, where he spent the last two seasons before two seasons with the New York Giants.

He appeared in a total of 31 games in his career, his only starts coming with Arizona as a rookie.

The Giants released a statement on Friday.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Korey Cunningham. He was a vital part of the spirit and camaraderie of the locker room. Our thoughts are with Korey’s family, friends and teammates.

Offensive lineman Justin Pugh, teammates with Cunningham in 2018 in Arizona and more recently with the Giants, shared a lovely story about Cunningham.

“We would invite him to the OL dinner every week even though he wasn’t on the team [on the practice squad] which doesn’t happen…ever,” Pugh wrote on X. “Team dinners are for players on the team only. Except for Korey….solely because he was beloved by all the guys regardless if you knew him or not! He’d tell stories and we’d laugh our asses off all night.

“Today is a sad day but I’ll always remember the good times and the laughs. Everyone who knew Korey Cunningham was better for it. The world lost a great soul.”

Our hearts go out to those who knew Cunningham.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

The story of new Cardinals DL Darius Robinson and his ‘anaconda arms’

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart called Robinson “one of the hardest guys to block in our league.”

It’s in the arms baby, it’s in the arms.

That’s the case with Darius Robinson, the defensive lineman the Arizona Cardinals selected with the 27th overall selection in the first round of Thursday’s draft.

Most pre-draft projections listed Robinson as an edge player because that’s where he played last season at Missouri weighing 285 pounds on his 6-foot-5 frame.

However, the year before, he was at 305 and played on the inside.

At the NFL combine, Robinson said, “When I was at D-tackle, I was 305 my whole career. This past year, I got (down) to 285. (That) feels great right now, but like I told NFL teams, if you see me as a true edge, I can get even lighter, and if you see me going back inside, I’ll gain my weight back. At 285, I can continue to play everything.”

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said he loves Robinson’s “versatility” and “violence,” and referred to him as “a war daddy.” He concluded, “We will have a good plan for him.”

Robinson was enthused about being drafted by the Cardinals, and claimed he wasn’t “antsy” being in the green room at draft central in Detroit as the first round neared the end.

He said, “I knew AZ was the one for me since the beginning of this process. They were one of the first teams that met with me at the Combine and one of the first teams that met with me at the Senior Bowl, so I’m really excited to be there and ready to put the work in.”

Echoing Gannon’s comments about the plan, he said during his talks with the team, “I felt like they have a really good plan of action in how they want to use their defensive linemen in their defense, in their scheme, and to me it felt like I just fit in.”

Oh, yes, the arms, which measure 34.5 inches. Most important, he uses them well.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart called Robinson “one of the hardest guys to block in our league.”

The Athletic’s draft analyst Dane Brugler couldn’t stop raving about Robinson’s physicality, writing that he has “large, violent hands to hammer blockers and physically break down their rhythm; displaces tight ends like rag dolls; (and is) a power-based rusher, (who) wears down blockers with his upper-body strength and aggressive hand usage, deploying his anaconda arms to swallow ball-carriers in the run game.”

Frankly, I’m trying to picture “anaconda arms” swallowing ball-carriers!

Most important is that the Cardinals ended the 2023 season with linemen Leki Fotu, Phil Hoskins, Naquan Jones, Roy Lopez and Ben Stille on the active roster. Dante Stills and L.J. Collier, re-signed as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, were on injured reserve. Fotu is now with the Jets, while Robinson and veterans Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga have been added to the group since March.

Noting that the depth on the line was tested last year, general manager Monti Ossenfort said, “You can never have enough big guys.”

Consider that mission accomplished.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Why you can’t get a Marvin Harrison Jr. jersey yet

Harrison has not signed a licensing deal with the NFLPA yet.

The Arizona Cardinals selected wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday. He was there in Detroit, greeted commissioner Roger Goodell and took photos with a No. 1 Cardinals jersey.

You can often immediately order jerseys for NFL teams’ first-round picks.

However, you can’t yet for Harrison. Why?

This is the message that is on all the NFL shops:

ATTN CARDINALS FANS: Currently, Fanatics and other retailers are not able to offer Marvin Harrison Jr. merchandise until he signs a licensing contract with the NFLPA. Products will be immediately available once he signs.

So Cardinals fans will need to wait if they want a Harrison jersey until he signs with the NFLPA.

His lack of a licensing deal even delayed a promotional article for this site.

This morning, I woke up to this in the site’s drafts. It gave me a chuckle.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

NFL draft Day 2 info, TV, schedule, rules

The info you need about the NFL draft on Friday for Day 2.

The 2024 NFL draft began Monday with the first round. In it, 32 players were selected. That was only Day 1 of the three-day event.

Friday, April 26 is Day 2. Day 2 of the draft has the second and third rounds.

Each team, when they are on the clock in Round 2, will have seven minutes to file their selection. Teams had 10 minutes for the first round. In the third round, the time limit drops to five minutes.

NFL draft Day 2 schedule, TV

Day 2 of the draft begins at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. Arizona time)

You can catch NFL draft coverage on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC (the ESPN telecast is simulcast on ABC). You can watch on the NFL+ app and  stream the draft on FuboTV (Watch for free).

Arizona Cardinals on Day 2

The Cardinals have four scheduled selections on Day 2 with one selection in the second round and three in the third.

They have picks No. 35, No. 66, No. 71 and No. 90.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals select Missouri DL Darius Robinson No. 27 overall

The Cardinals bolster their defensive line with Darius Robinson, drafting him 27th overall.

The Arizona Cardinals, a year after making two first-round trades in the NFL draft, made none in the first round on Thursday. After selecting receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall, they used the 27th overall pick on Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

Robinson is 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds and played both the defensive interior and the edge for the Tigers.

He was a two-time captain and led the team with 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

He was voted the top performer at the Senior Bowl. he was first-team All-SEC in 2023.

The question is where the Cardinals view him playing. Will he play both the interior and the edge? Will he be a big edge?

If considered an interior guy, he is the fourth the team has added this offseason. In addition to re-signing L.J. Collier, they added new free agent defensive linemen Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

For the Cardinals, ‘juniors’ and Ohio State go hand in hand

The Cardinals select a “Junior” from Ohio State for the second straight year in the first round.

This was the no-brainer of no-brainers.

One day after the 20th anniversary of Larry Fitzgerald coming to the Valley as the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft, the Arizona Cardinals surprised no one by dipping into the Ohio State well once again with the selection of Marvin Harrison, another “junior” to go with former Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr., the sixth overall choice last year.

Joining his former teammate, Harrison said, “I’m super excited it worked out the way it did.”

His selection came after quarterbacks were picked with the first three picks of the draft: Caleb Williams to the Bears, Jayden Daniels to the Commanders and Drake Maye to the Patriots.

All the talk about trades turned to be, well, just talk, as Harrison now brings a Hall-of-Fame pedigree to the team’s receivers room along with consistent play-making ability. His father, Marvin Harrison Sr., played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts and was enshrined in Canton in 2016.

That surely pleases quarterback Kyler Murray, who said earlier in the day, “I know who I want. We’ll see if it happens.”

It obviously did, and while no coaches or general managers anoint rookies as starters on the day they are drafted, there’s no question that Harrison immediately vaults to the top of the team’s depth chart, past Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Chris Moore and Zach Pascal.

Harrison is a player with unparalleled work ethic who elected not to work out at the Combine or his Pro Day so he could continue preparing to play football, not showcase drills that often have little to do what happens between the sidelines.

Meanwhile, in a receiver-rich draft, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Cardinals select another pass-catcher late in the first round (if they don’t trade the 27th pick) or in the second or third round where they currently own four selections.

Speaking of Ohio State, soon after the draft ends, all of the betting outfits will emerge with the odds for 2024 rookie awards, including Offensive Player of the Year, which will likely have Harrison as the favorite.

That will only make Buckeyes faithful crow even louder after wide receiver Garrett Wilson and quarterback C.J. Stroud earned that honor the last two seasons.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

POLL: Grade the Cardinals’ selection of WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. What grade do they deserve for the pick?

The Arizona Cardinals did not complicate things Thursday night with their first selection in the 2024 NFL draft. They did not trade out of the pick, opting simply to select Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

He was the most mocked player to the Cardinals.

He is the best receiver in a strong receiver class.

What do you think of the pick, though?

Grade the pick in the linked poll that also is embedded below.

Do they deserve an A?

You can see the full live results of the poll linked here.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals select WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 4th overall

The Cardinals’ first draft pick of 2024 is no surprise. They take Marvin Harrison Jr.

The mystery is finally over. The Arizona Cardinals have made their first selection of the 2024 NFL draft. In what was no surprise, they selected Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick.

Harrison was the No. 1 receiver prospect this year and some consider him the best receiver prospect since A.J. Green and Julio Jones in 2011.

Harrison will turn 22 years old in August. He is 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds and the son of Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison.

In three seasons at Ohio State, he caught 155 passes for 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns. He had 14 touchdowns each of the last two seasons and surpassed 1,200 receiving yards each year — in 2022 with last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud and last season with Kyle McCord.

He was the most mocked player to the Cardinals leading up to the draft.

Wide receiver was the Cardinals’ greatest need entering the draft. It has been filled in a big way with Harrison.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.