Falcons Trade Jessie Bates III to Jaguars for 2 Picks as NFL Deadline Nears

Q: Will Marvin Harrison Jr. resurrect his struggling career by reuniting with C.J. Stroud, or is the former top pick officially a bust?

It is too early to call Marvin Harrison Jr. a bust, but Houston is probably his best remaining chance to change that trajectory. The evidence cuts both ways. Harrison’s NFL production has clearly fallen short of his draft billing. After a modest rookie year of 885 yards and eight touchdowns, he slipped to 608 yards and four scores in 2025, then opened 2026 with just five catches for 85 yards in four games before Arizona moved on. For a No. 4 overall pick once labeled a can’t-miss prospect, that is deeply disappointing, and the fact that the Cardinals traded him after only 33 games is a major red flag. At the same time, his profile is not that of a finished failure. He still has 1,578 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 33 career games, and Houston is betting that Arizona was a bad fit more than proof he cannot play. The Texans badly needed a legitimate No. 2 option behind Nico Collins, and C.J. Stroud’s endorsement mattered. Their Ohio State history gives Houston a reasonable basis to believe the reunion can speed up chemistry and help Harrison play faster and freer. The most likely answer is that this move offers a reset, not a guaranteed resurrection. Familiarity with Stroud should help, but scheme fit, confidence, route urgency and consistency will decide whether Harrison becomes a productive starter or remains one of the league’s biggest missed evaluations. If he cannot stabilize in Houston, the bust label will become hard to avoid.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 9

Atlanta sent safety Jessie Bates III to Jacksonville for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, one of the first major moves before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Jacksonville made the deal to reinforce an already strong defense and tighten its secondary for a playoff push, while Atlanta moved Bates before free agency to secure value now.
Atlanta’s calculus was shaped by its projected $100 million-plus in cap space, which could limit any compensatory return if Bates left and the Falcons spent heavily in the offseason.
Other deadline-week deals already on the board include Baltimore acquiring Jacoby Brissett, Chicago landing Jeffery Simmons, and Indianapolis continuing a selloff with DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson trades.

Sources

Yahoo Sports1h ago

Falcons Trade Jessie Bates III to Jaguars for Draft Picks

FOX21News.com1h ago

Falcons agree to trade veteran safety Jessie Bates III to Jaguars for 2 draft picks, AP source says – FOX21 News Colorado

NFL.com37m ago

NFL Network: Jaguars acquiring safety Jessie Bates III from Falcons for two draft picks | Latest NFL News, Analysis & Updates | NFL.com

10 Sources

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Will Marvin Harrison Jr. resurrect his struggling career by reuniting with C.J. Stroud, or is the former top pick officially a bust?