After just two weeks, it appears the 49ers will have a heavyweight fight on their hands in an attempt to win the NFC West. In the stacked division, however, one team isn't like the rest.
The Arizona Cardinals entered the season with the lowest projected win total in the league, and they've already suffered a blowout loss to the division rival Seahawks. What's particularly interesting, however, is the buzz swirling around former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr.
Through two games, the former Buckeye has earned just four targets and seems to have been fazed out of the offense altogether. Meanwhile, the 49ers have already amassed a laundry list of injuries at the wide receiver position. If the Cardinals were to decide to give up on the once highly touted prospect, the 49ers could find themselves in a position to make an unprecedented move.
Marvin Harrison is the perfect buy-low candidate for 49ers
With the wideout's cold start to the season, many have been wondering whether the Cardinals will shop him around before the deadline. A trade would make sense. As of right now, he is the fourth or fifth option on their offense. Fellow pass catcher Michael Wilson just got paid this offseason, and the passing game largely runs through tight end Trey McBride.
Whether the team has given up on Marv or he has given up on the team is anybody's guess, but one thing is certain: there is no place for him in Arizona. The 49ers, however, may be a perfect fit.
Harrison is still in the middle of his rookie deal, and San Francisco has the largest amount of cap space in the NFL. As of right now, his value is so low that it would hardly take any draft capital to acquire him.
If the Niners were to pull the trigger, Harrison could fit in nicely as the field stretcher the team currently lacks. Since both De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson are on IR, there is a desperate need for someone to come in and take attention off other receivers like Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel. The 49ers did just sign veteran Brandin Cooks, but he is 32 and hasn't been a bona fide speedster in years.
49ers' potential trade would be low risk, extremely high reward
At worst, Marvin would come in and do exactly what he is doing now: run go routes and be a decoy.
Trading for him would come with huge potential upside, though. After all, there is a reason he was drafted fourth overall. While it's clear he lacks the confidence he once had at Ohio State, he still possesses the same physical tools. Joining forces with offensive genius Kyle Shanahan and playing alongside renowned veterans may help him unlock the potential scouts saw in him when he came out of college.
That's not to mention he would be catching passes from Brock Purdy, who is one of the league's most effective deep-ball throwers. If the two form a connection, Harrison could establish himself as a respectable deep threat, thus making the San Francisco offense even more dynamic.
At the end of the day, he is still just 24 years old. The 49ers could easily pull off a move that could pay huge dividends if successful. If it doesn't, they would hardly feel the loss. Perhaps all Marv needs is a change of scenery. If that's the case, the 49ers could certainly use him when it comes time to make a Super Bowl run in January.
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