Cardinals Legend Backs Marvin Harrison Jr.

The Arizona Cardinals' top pick will be just fine, according to somebody who was in his same exact shoes.

Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) against the New Orleans Saints during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- Seemingly the entire football world has thrown their two cents on Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and his debut last Sunday.

Harrison was taken with Arizona's top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and arrived to the desert with lofty expectations of helping transform the Cardinals' offense overnight.

When the dust settled on the team's 34-28 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Harrison finished with just one catch for four yards.

It was a historically low output for a receiver taken in the top five, and while there's some massive questions on how the Cardinals will utilize Harrison moving into their Week 2 battle against the Los Angeles Rams, one franchise legend says the rookie simply just needs time.

"I think we've all seen over the last couple years, especially at Ohio State, you have to give him time," former Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin told Arizona Sports' Wolf and Luke.

"I know we're in a day and age where everybody wants you to be successful right out the gate, but I think you just take your time and allow him to develop to the receiver that he's going to be.

"He's going to have some great games this year. He's going to go over 100 yards multiple times this year. Obviously things didn't go the way everybody wanted them to go, and I'm sure he's probably more disappointed than anybody having that type of a debut.

"For a guy that talented, I'm surprised they didn't try to get the ball in his hands more. When you have a guy that talented, you have to move him around and find ways to get the ball in his hands to make him comfortable early on and find that rapport with the quarterback, but I'm sure they'll get things going in Week 2 against the Rams."

Boldin himself knows what a proper NFL intro looks like. As a second-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Boldin set the NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in his first game against the Detroit Lions with 217 yards on ten catches.

Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing acknowledged Harrison was a priority when game-planning.

"Certainly he is on the forefront of our minds in terms of getting him the ball," Petzing told reporters. "I think (the Bills) did some things to take him away and certainly I could've called some plays to get him more involved early but I thought it was a good start. We have some work to do."

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