Percy Harvin a Risk the Oakland Raiders Can’t Afford to Take
By Kevin Saito
A day after Packers receiver Randall Cobb stunned the Oakland Raiders with his decision to stay in Green Bay – at substantially less money – Reggie McKenzie is left looking for a Plan B. And according to Bill Williamson of ESPN, Plan B potentially involves finding a really bad solution to the problem. Percy Harvin.
Cobb was a big target of #Raiders no it's onto Maclin, Smith and perhaps HArvin
— Bill Williamson (@BWilliamsonNFL) March 8, 2015
With Jeremy Maclin out of the picture now, reportedly set to reunite with former head coach Andy Reid in Kansas City, Harvin is still out there, looking for work. A piece that appeared on NFL.com cites the Patriots and the Raiders as the top landing spots for the talented but often disgruntled wide receiver.
On one level it makes sense. Harvin was at his most productive while a member of the Minnesota Vikings when a guy named Bill Musgrave was the offensive coordinator. That would be the same Bill Musgrave currently running the offense for Jack Del Rio in Oakland if you’re scoring at home.
Musgrave knew how to take advantage of Harvin’s athleticism, knew how to best utilize his skills, and managed to get the best out of him. In four seasons with the Vikings, Harvin caught 280 balls for 3,302 yards, and 20 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 107 times, racking up 683 yards – for a healthy 6.4 yards per carry – and notched another four scores.
While with the Vikings, Harvin was dynamic and explosive. He added another layer to the Minnesota offense that helped the team thrive.
But that was then and this is now.
Dec 1, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline (82) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 23-3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Since he departed Minnesota, Harvin hasn’t come close to equaling the numbers he put up with the Vikings. An array of injuries has certainly added to his decline, but more than that, his attitude has been the biggest problem. Harvin’s tenure with the Vikings ended rather messily, as did his time with Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. Cited as a source of a schism within the locker room – and an uprising against Russell Wilson – Seattle basically shuttled Harvin off to the Jets for a ham sandwich and a diet coke.
Though his brief eight game tenure with the Jets was peaceful enough – he caught 29 passes for 350 yards, and a score – most observers were waiting for Harvin’s seemingly inevitable Chernobyl-esque meltdown. Most considered it to be a matter of “when,” and not “if.”
But in the wake of the trade that brought fellow disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall to New York from Chicago, Harvin was deemed expendable. At least, according to reports, he will be when the Jets officially cut him on Monday.
The fact that a team as receiver needy as the Jets is willing to part ways with Harvin – without having tried to restructure his deal that will count $10.5 million against the cap – a mere eight games after acquiring him, should be a red flag for McKenzie. That the Jets went out of their way to acquire another receiver who has a reputation as a malcontent – and is making a lot of money over the next few seasons – and are dumping Harvin for him should be another.
Harvin is a talented receiver. But his extensive injury history should make the Raiders wary. Even more than that, his extensive history as a malcontent and locker room cancer should be enough to make them walk away.
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Rather than making a run at Harvin, the Raiders would be better off making a play for former Dolphins wideout Brian Hartline to fill a need at the position. While not the sexiest receiver out there, Hartline would be a solid one. Over his six years in the league, Hartline has put up numbers that are on part with Harvin – 298 receptions, 4,243 yards (14.2 yards per catch), and 12 touchdowns – but more importantly, he does not have the history with injury, nor the reputation as a malcontent and locker room cancer.
Del Rio has talked at length about the culture and character he is attempting to instill in his Raiders’ squad. Yes, he needs talent. He needs playmakers. But talent alone should not trump character or the potential damage one rotten apple can do to what he is trying to build.
When Harvin is healthy and has his head screwed on right, he can be a force of nature on the field. But there will come a time when Harvin goes ballistic and can tear a locker room apart. It’s a matter of “when,” and not “if.”
As talented as he is, it’s a risk the Raiders cannot afford to take.