Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, just days after the team acquired him in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Harrison passed his physical Monday and practiced with the Texans for the first time Wednesday, according to ESPN.
The game will be played at Wembley Stadium in London as part of the NFL‘s international series.
What The Texans Coach Said About Harrison’s Status
Ryans did not hedge on Harrison’s availability but made clear the receiver’s workload will be managed. “When you get a player come in late, like Marvin has, it’s just, again, what is he able to pick up on?” Ryans said, according to Bleacher Report.
“We’ll go through the entire playbook. We’ll have set plays, and we’ll make sure it’s as easy as possible for him to get lined up so he can play fast. Don’t expect him to come out and play all 60 snaps in a game, but we’ll make sure he gets what he needs, and make sure he’s confident in what we’re asking him to do.”
Jaguars coach Liam Coen said his team expects Harrison to factor into the game plan despite his limited practice time. “It’s probably going to be hard to get him into a full game plan, but shoot, we did it with Jakobi last year and I know Marvin is smart and he works hard,” Coen said, per FOX Sports. “So, I would imagine that he’s going to be a part of their game plan.”
Houston’s Wide Receiver Room With Harrison Aboard
Harrison joins a Texans receiver corps led by Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel, with Kayshon Boutte also in the mix. Houston sent Arizona its 2027 second and seventh-round picks for Harrison and a 2027 sixth-round selection, a notable price for a player who had struggled to produce consistent volume with the Cardinals.
Ryans credited the speed of Harrison’s transition to the work he put in immediately after arriving. “Marvin’s first night here, he was with our assistant wide receiver coach Tiquan Underwood and they were grinding,” Ryans said. “They were working late at night.
They were in the playbook grinding, and that allowed him to get a day ahead. And now he was able to go out there today and just fit right in seamlessly.”
Ryans pointed to Harrison’s chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud, his Ohio State teammate in 2021 and 2022, as an advantage. “Anytime you have players who have spent time together, whether it’s college or other teams, just having that prior relationship definitely helps when you come into a new situation,” Ryans said.
Harrison echoed that sentiment: “I think the team as a whole it’s a great situation for me. Being with a quarterback that you have rapport with and had success with in the past is always great too.”
Harrison’s Production This Season And In His Career
Harrison caught five passes on 13 targets for 85 yards and one touchdown in four games with Arizona. The No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft has 108 receptions for 1,578 yards and 13 touchdowns over 33 career games.
Stroud ranks fifth in the league in passing yards through five weeks with 1,402.
What’s Next
The Texans play the Jaguars Sunday in London at Wembley Stadium in a Week 6 matchup. Harrison’s snap count and specific role were not detailed by either coaching staff ahead of kickoff.
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