Kyler Murray says addition of Marvin Harrison Jr will make Cardinals offense 'top of the league'
Marvin Harrison Jr was the best sort of draft gift for Kyler Murray. The Cardinals quarterback now is predicting that the Arizona offense will top the league.
Back in April, the Cardinals broke up a rush on quarterbacks by taking Harrison, the former Ohio State star, with the fourth pick of the NFL Draft. Harrison has enjoyed about five weeks of workouts with his new team. He has folks, including Murray, raving about his abilities.
“I think (Harrison) takes us to another level,” Murray told reporters. “When you got a guy out there that is capable of winning one-on-ones, obviously he’s got to go do it and he knows that. We all know it. But as far as manipulating coverage and stuff like that, you got a guy out there that can do that and even if he’s not open, he’s open.
“I’m excited to be able to build that with him, but when he does what he does, yeah, I fully expect our offense to be top of the league.”
Harrison already de facto No. 1 receiver for Cardinals
The Cardinals recently wrapped up OTAs with a three-day minicamp. ESPN noted that when Harrison first came to Arizona after the draft, he would stand in back of the receivers line as he waited his turn to run routes. The older, more experienced wideouts were in front. But now Harrison is the first to go. The other receivers anointed the rookie No. 1.
“I didn’t want to come in here with a big head,” Harrison told reporters. “I knew I had to earn everything, so just simple things like that. Let them go in front as they rightfully deserve. And then they kinda allow me to go in front now because they understand what I can bring to the team.”
Quarterbacks, receivers and offensive linemen dominated the first round of the NFL Draft. And Harrison was the first receiver off the draft boards. Six more followed him before the evening was over. That tied an NFL record for most receivers selected in the first round.
The Cardinals are hoping that Harrison enjoys the same career as Arizona great Larry Fitzgerald. Two decades ago, the Cardinals picked Fitzgerald at No. 3. The 11-time Pro Bowler played his entire career in Arizona.
Arizona coach says receiver may work too hard
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said he has to make sure that Harrison doesn’t work too hard.
“He’s extremely detailed,” Gannon said. “He does a lot extra, probably too much. I’m going to be fighting him about that.
“I love extra work. We just got to be smart about it. You just got to have to have a routine about it, about what you’re doing. You only get one cup a day. How are you filling in your cup? And if you’re overflowing it somewhere, it’s going to take from somewhere else or you might not develop like we want you to develop. So, he’s doing a good job with his routine and his plan, what he’s doing.”