Since news surfaced this weekend surrounding the Arizona Cardinals’ intention to trade away wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the Houston Texans have been largely viewed as the favorites in the mix to land him.
Rumors have connected the Texans with some of the most interest to land the Cardinals wideout, reportedly offering a future second-round pick to Arizona in hopes of landing him, and by the end of Week 5’s action across the league, could have the former No. 4 pick on their roster.
But without a clear trade agreement in place for Harrison Jr. before Week 5 gets rolling, is there a chance that the Texans’ matchup against the Tennessee Titans plays any role in a potential deal moving forward?
Considering where the Texans stand at this point in the season, it really wouldn’t be too outlandish to say plans could shift on Harrison Jr., depending on whether they win or lose this weekend.
Let’s break down how.
The situation around Harrison Jr.’s pending trade status is pretty bizarre as is: a player being inactive on gameday and on his way out in a potential deal, yet the trade package and team acquiring him are largely speculative.
Oftentimes, a player in this type of situation could’ve already been traded by this point in the week. But in Harrison Jr.’s case, along with what could be a pending offer on the table from the Texans, there has yet to be a clear agreement.
And this could be for a few reasons. On the Cardinals’ side of things, they could simply be holding out and looking for the best package available in exchange for their former No. 4 pick.
While one team may have a second-rounder on the table, maybe another team coughs up more by the time this weekend’s games end. For a premier asset like Harrison Jr., getting the best possible package will be a top priority for Arizona.
But for the Texans’ side of things, there’s a world where the outcome for Week 5’s game against the Titans shifts their thought process of an acquisition entirely.
With a win in Nashville, the Texans can move forward as usual. They’d be 1-4, able to take a deep breath from their winless first four games, have some sense of momentum now built up, and feel a bit more confident that their second-round investment in Harrison Jr. can still be worthwhile to get wins on the board this season.
But with a loss against the Titans? The Texans then sink to 0-5. They’d find themselves in an even bigger hole than they are now, likely falling to the worst roster they’ve faced this season, and at a record that no team in NFL history has ever come back to make the playoffs from.
At 0-5, that win-now mindset that Houston entered the season with would be tough to continue to have. Sure, the Texans did come back from similar early-season struggles last year. But especially for the cost of a second-round pick, it makes a Harrison Jr. trade a whole lot less appealing.
So if you’re a fan that wants to see Harrison Jr. in a Texans uniform by the time Week 6 rolls around, a win this weekend against Tennessee will be critical to see that dream come to fruition.
On the other hand, a loss might just leave Houston to have a major change of plans on how to move forward. So stay tuned to the results that come out of Nashville this Sunday.
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