Where will Marvin Harrison End Up?
Ah yes, Marvin Harrison. One of the receivers that bridged this generation of football fans to those of the last generation along with Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. (And let's face it, only one of those three is seen as a "good guy" to most fans.)
The current question, however, is where will he end up now that his career with the Colts is up? Well, I shall take a look at the possible suitors. Let's keep in mind that he'll still have a decently high asking price. He's still one of the top wideouts in the league, even if he's a bit slower. Now, onto the possible landing spots.
Buffalo Bills - I think he'd be a decent fit here as the number two receiver. Lee Evans is decent at number one. Their current number two is Josh Reed. He's undersized and a bit slow. Let's face it, right now their other options are Roscoe Parrish and James Hardy. Harrison would be an instant upgrade here, and I think the Bills would be willing to pay.
Cincinatti Bengals - I have no doubt that Harrison will want to go to a contender, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Bengals tried to throw some money at him. They just lost Houshmanzadeh and Chad Johnson will no doubt be trying to vacate the premises soon. That will leave Chris Henry as their number one receiver. Yes, a player that's rather like Pacman Jones when it comes to the law. They won't sign Harrison, but they'll throw some money his way.
Cleveland Browns - Oh boy. Let's see...Braylon Edwards. We can call him Butterfingers after last season, right? After an incredible season he flaked out and apparently got his hands chopped off. Donte Stallworth - the oft-injured under-producer. I don't expect Harrison to sign here either...but they could try to throw a deal to him.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Hmm. Let's look at their current top two receivers. Mike Walker. He's had 217 yards in three seasons...and all those yards came last season. Dennis Northcutt. The perennially injured return specialist and number three or four receiver. Let's face it, the Jags need an upgrade and Harrison could be it. They could really become a contender with him.
Tennessee Titans - With Brandon Jones being a free agent, the Titans are left with Justin Gage as their only halfway decent receiver. A guy like Harrison could really be a leader on this team and help lead them deep into the playoffs. Oh, and they face Indianapolis twice a year...so that could be an incentive.
Philadelphia Eagles - They're his hometown team. He and Donovan started together for three years at Syracuse. Enough said. (I also hate the Eagles...so I refuse to say too much about them.)
Chicago Bears - Let's face it, the Bears could be great. With the emergence of Kyle Orton, I now look at him and wonder what he would be like with a good wide receiver. The Bears have a top defense and a strong running game. They need a passing game though, and I get the feeling that they will throw some money his way.
Detroit Lions - They need him...and I just wanted a comedy option.
Minnesota Vikings - Tavaris Jackson showed major improvement. Sage Rosenfels was just brought in. I like the prospect of one of those two throwing to this guy. They made it to the playoffs last season. With a passing game, they can make it even deeper this time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antonio Bryant is essentially their only receiver at the moment. The idea of these two lined up together is intimidating...especially since Bryant finally found his way back to the football field and he lit that thing up.
You may have noticed a lack of teams from the Western divisions. That's because aside from the Chargers, Cardinals, and Broncos, no one has a strong receiving group. I'm looking at the other five teams to try to throw big bucks at him.
As for where I think he'll end up...it'll either be Philly, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Tennessee, or Tampa Bay. Most of my money is on Philly and Tennessee.
This is an article I wrote for BleacherReport.com. PM if you'd like the link. :)
