When it’s confirmed that Minnesota’s Percy Harvin will be traded to Seattle for a first round pick, it’s doubtful a more significant trade will be executed this off season.
It is also doubtful that any other trade will have more impact on a developing Super Bowl picture.
For both clubs this trade seems to me an eminently sensible one.
The Seahawks are coming off one of their best, most exciting seasons in franchise history largely on the back of impressive rookie Russell Wilson’s shoulders, but equally courtesy of a consistently solid running game and a young defensive unit who has the potential to be the game’s best.
All the Seahawks were lacking was an above average wide receiver to compliment their offensive schemes. In Harvin, they’ve landed the ideal man.
Despite the Seahawks going 11-5 and falling agonisingly short from appearing in the NFC conference game, their best performing wide out was Sidney Rice who managed a relatively pedestrian 748 yards on a paltry 50 catches.
In Harvin, they not only land one of the most dynamic wide-outs in the league but one who at just 24 promises to deliver plenty for Seattle over the coming years.
He is a player who’s never managed less than 60 catches in any of his four seasons as a pro.
In addition, Harvin won’t be a stranger in Seattle, having worked in Minnesota under present Seahawk offensive coordinator Darrel Bevell, while Harvin was also a teammate of Rice in Minnesota when they almost made a Super Bowl run in his rookie season.
A first-round pick himself, Harvin caught almost as many yards as Seattle’s best wide-out this season despite playing just nine games.
Since arriving in Minnesota, Harvin has also operated as a highly effective kick returner which Seattle might also turn to in times of need.
As for the Vikings, they’ll be disappointed to lose their second most productive player yet they should be commended for appropriately evaluating their roster and not getting too carried away with a 10-6 record which improbably propelled them to the playoffs.
The post-season did however highlight just how far off the Vikings were from the contenders trailing by more than three touchdowns for the bulk of their wildcard encounter against Green Bay.
The Harvin trade sends another high pick into the mix while also taking Harvin’s contract off the books.
So often clubs over evaluate a playoff appearance, overpay their performers and trade away picks. Yet the reality is the Vikings went 3-13 the season before and were 5-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less this campaign indicating their record might have been a little misleading.
This trade provides them plenty of flexibility while giving them some breathing space to reload into a genuine, Seattle-like contender, rather than a flash in the pan.
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