Vikings

Should the Vikings Pursue Percy Harvin?

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Wednesday morning, Josina Anderson of ESPN reported that former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin has expressed interest in returning to the NFL. Harvin has told Anderson that he has been training with an Olympian and appears to be in terrific shape.

It’s also worth noting that Harvin’s agent has said he is already fielding calls from NFL teams. This could be a stretch of the truth in order to build interest, but the thought of Harvin rejoining an offense should be intriguing to a few teams.

During his NFL career, particularly when he was a Minnesota Viking, Harvin was a dominant playmaker and one of the best in the sport with the football in his hands. He was one of few players that could truly take it the distance on any play. Plus, he was versatile — he could line up anywhere on the offensive side of the ball and he was one of the best kick returners of his time.

Harvin’s excellence never quite received the recognition it deserved, perhaps due to the fact that he was never the most recognizable star on Minnesota’s offense. He joined the Vikings the same year Brett Favre arrived. Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson was on the roster for the duration of Harvin’s tenure as a Viking.

But make no mistake about it. Harvin was electric and every bit as dangerous as Peterson.

Harvin may not have boasted the route tree that some of today’s premier receivers have, but his ability to create yards after the catch was unmatched. The footwork and balance he displayed when running with the football are reminiscent of current Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

In 54 games with the Vikings, Harvin caught 280 passes for 3,302 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns. He added 107 carries for 683 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Of course, Harvin’s stint with the Vikings ended eight whole years ago — and he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016 as a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Health seemingly derailed his career after he was traded from the Vikings to the Seattle Seahawks after the 2012 season. From 2013-2016, Harvin played in just 29 games.

Age is also a concern for Harvin. He will turn 32 prior to the 2020 season and it’s fair to expect a considerable drop off in explosiveness from what Vikings fans became used to seeing.

In the event Harvin is healthy and explosive enough to resemble the way he played as a Viking in the past, the Vikings should jump on the opportunity to bring him in. Chances are it would require a minimum contract with little risk to the team. It’s a low-risk, high-reward scenario for a team that is in desperate need of help at the wide receiver position.

No, Harvin would likely not be a No. 1, No. 2, or even a No. 3 receiver with any team that signs him. If he still has a hint of that game-breaking ability left in the tank from the early 2010s, then a veteran minimum contract seems worth it.

The Vikings just lost one of the most explosive receivers in football. It’ll be almost impossible to immediately replace Diggs’ value to the Vikings. But the team might as well try.

Harvin represents a dart that might just hit the bullseye.

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