The Las Vegas Raiders just became buyers before the trade deadline. And that’s because they are way ahead of schedule. At 3-1 and pushing for the playoffs, they need to look at options to improve the roster.

That could come by adding a guy like Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s available, and a deal appears to be in place. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that the two teams are agreeing on the details. Here’s the catch: no one knows which team is on the other end of the deal. If it’s Vegas, some deals on the table make a ton of sense.

A to Z’s Ryan Roberts provides potential trade package for Harrison Jr. from Vegas

The one player I wanted in this deal is offensive tackle Charles Grant. He is a young developmental offensive lineman who showed good things in the preseason. I liked Grant coming out of William & Mary, and he has three years of control remaining on his rookie contract, which matters for a Cardinals team adding assets.

From there, Arizona has two options. The first is Kwity Paye. Paye is an older player who has been there and can help a young team understand what winning looks like. The second option is draft picks. The Raiders just signed Paye as a free agent. They probably want him to help with the organization’s turnaround, which is fair. So we went with picks. Here is where we landed:

– Raiders receive: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., a sixth-round pick; Cardinals receive: OT Charles Grant, a third-round pick

Adding the sixth-rounder back to Las Vegas helps balance the value.

Roberts broke down why Arizona isn’t getting a second-round pick for Harrison

The price point is what complicates Harrison’s market. One scenario is that Arizona lands a second-round pick while sending a fourth-rounder back, which would make the net value closer to a third. That is about as high as I can see this going.

Harrison straight up is not worth a second-round pick right now. Maybe he will be in the future, but he isn’t today. A team like the Raiders would be betting on what he can become rather than what he’s shown, and that bet comes at a lower price. With Harrison set to sit, we will likely know soon whether Arizona pulls the trigger. If Las Vegas is serious about its turnaround, this move is worth making.

Raiders need a wide receiver badly, and Harrison could be the perfect fit

The Raiders did draft two wide receivers last season. They took Jack Bech in the second round, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round. Neither got a fair shake under Pete Carroll. So, in many ways, this was viewed as their rookie season. Even so, they haven’t performed, but for different reasons.

Bech just fractured his forearm and is set to be out for some time. He’s got just five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown this year. As for Thornton, he’s been out all year with a hamstring injury. He hasn’t been activated to the 53-man roster yet, but could be soon. And this week, Jalen Nailor, whom the Raiders spent a three-year, $35 million deal on, is out with a concussion. Nailor has just five catches for 52 yards in 2026. And of course, the Raiders drafted Malik Benson in the sixth round, and while he stood out in camp, he hasn’t played many offensive snaps.

Still, with all of those moves to the wide receiver room over the last two years, the Raiders still need help. Harrison could be exactly what they need. His stats don’t tell the whole story about what he can be. We all saw it in college at Ohio State—a legacy player can take over games. Lately, there have been rumors that it’s more of a mental thing for him, and not physical. A change of scenery to a rising team with a franchise QB could change all that.

his team can make the playoffs. But they cannot rely on a guy like Brock Bowers to carry the passing game. They need WR help, badly. 33 of the Raiders’ 93 total receptions in 2026 have come from the WR room. The rest come from the tight ends and running backs. Harrison could be help on the way, but also not be too expensive with the deals listed above.