I turned 26 the other day (the 8th) and while I had a great time with friends and family and got small pretty cool gifts (I know people will appreciate this one in particular... Sick Seahawks Birthday Gift), this feels like the ultimate birthday gift. A special sorry goes out to my girlfriend in advance, but Pete Carroll and John Schneider stole the show with this one. There were rumors earlier in the off-season that the Seahawks would be interested in Harvin if he were to become available as many expected, but I definitely did not see this move coming. "Wow" just about sums it up.
I've never really been a fan of Percy Harvin, the person. Or at least the things that we've heard about him over the years. Percy Harvin the player, on the other hand, is without a doubt one of the best playmakers in the game. From his days at Florida, you could tell that he was on the path to being something very special. An electric return man with impressive versatility, I remember watching Harvin and thinking that he's one of the quickest players I've ever seen. His ability to weave through traffic is other worldly and unlike anything I think I've seen on a football field before. I wondered if his slight frame would cause him problems after leaving the Gators for the NFL, because despite his size he runs with the reckless abandonment of a much larger man. It didn't. Not at all.
Some might point to his injury history and the migraines he suffered back in 2009 and 2010. He hasn't had any bouts with migraines in over 2 years, which is very encouraging for the Seahawks. His injury situation this past season was a bit overblown as well. Harvin suffered a sprained ankle (in Seattle, coincidentally enough) and was seen arguing with Vikings Coach Leslie Frazier on the sidelines. After another blowup with Frazier, this time behind closed doors, Harvin left the team and was placed on IR. It was a very nasty "divorce" and certainly nothing that Harvin should be proud of, but had this not occurred he very likely would have returned from his ankle injury before season's end.
What Pete Carroll would tell you is to focus on the positives with Harvin. Not what his limitations are and what he CAN'T do but what his strengths and unique skills are and what he CAN do for Seattle. When you talk about unique skills, Harvin possesses many. Track star speed, ridiculous body control, outstanding athleticism, you name it Harvin's got it. A tenacious and spirited player, Harvin is one of the league's best at making the first man miss and gaining yards after the catch. With GM John Schneider's experience in Green Bay, it's obvious that he loves the YAC ability that Harvin brings to the table. Coupled with Russell Wilson's scrambling ability and Golden Tate's abilities to extend plays after the catch, the Seahawks are now loaded with players that can improvise and make things happen in the open field with the ball in their hands. Make no mistake, if Harvin keeps his head screwed on straight this will be a massive get for the Seahawks.
The reward is potentially massive for Seattle, as are the risks. First, the Seahawks relinquished a 1st rounder, as well as a 7th rounder and what appears to be a 3rd rounder next year. Second, the Seahawks will have to get Harvin signed to a new contract, and it won't be cheap. Paul Allen's bank account will take a bit of a hit but if all pans out the way the Seahawks hope, he'll get to trade in that cash he's giving to Percy Harvin for a chance to touch the Lombardi Trophy in January. I'm sure he'd tell you that that's a no brainer for him. As far as the draft capital the Seahawks are giving up is concerned, consider that you won't find a player of Harvin's caliber at #25 in this year's draft. This is widely considered a deep draft where no one knows what value most of the players outside of the Top 15 have. A guy like DeAndre Hopkins could go 25th or he could go 56th, no one knows for sure yet. This draft might lack star power but it certainly makes up for it with tons of quality depth. The Seahawks will still have a chance at finding some solid contributors in the later rounds, which is where they've actually thrived in recent years. I feel that Seattle's ability to find superstar talent later in the draft allowed them to feel more comfortable making this trade. Kudos to the front office for putting themselves in such a fortuitous position.
Some Seahawks fans are expressing concern with the fact that Harvin may miss time due to injury in 2013. Even if he does, the Seahawks offense has proven that it's a very good unit without Percy Harvin. Another year and another off-season with Russell Wilson and the same core of players would have likely meant more progress from the Seahawks on offense in 2013/2014. However, adding Harvin to an already stellar cast makes this offense legitimately elite and a nightmare for opposing defenses to gameplan. So if he's playing, Seattle's offense is elite. If he's out, they're still in good hands without him. Fear not, Seattle fans.
Once again John Schneider pulls an excellent move on the trade market out of thin air. Like Marshawn Lynch before him, Percy Harvin comes to the Hawks with his fair share of baggage. The Seahawks didn't get the sweetheart deal that they got from Buffalo for Marshawn's services but that's beside the point. Pete Carroll gets his "touchdown maker" that he covets so much and Russell Wilson gets a receiver who can do two great things for him. 1, he can get open when Russell rolls around in the pocket trying to keep a play alive and 2, opposing defenses won't be able to blitz Seattle as much due to the fact that Percy Harvin is one of the best in the league on screens and quick hitters. I had a friend of mine (Eagles fan) tell me today that he has no idea how anyone is going to stop this offense. Where in the past teams could focus on shutting down the run to throw our offense out of rhythm, teams will now have to focus on how to shut down Russell Wilson's arms, legs, receivers, and oh... there's this nasty dude with grills named Marshawn too. Keep in mind, Seattle will ALWAYS be a run-first team. It's the identity they've built and one they plan to stick with. Having said that, they are also a run-first offense with an absolutely deadly passing attack.
In other news, the 49ers tried to fire back with a move for WR Anquan Boldin. The 6th rounder they gave up is decent value, but nothing too incredible when you consider Boldin will be 33 this season and isn't getting any faster. It's true that he's coming off an incredible playoff run and Super Bowl, but there isn't much for the future in this deal for San Fran. Something tells me Jim and co. weren't too happy when they caught word of the news coming from Seattle and wanted to fire back. Wait, what's that? We have actual footage of Jim Harbaugh's reaction to hearing about the Percy Harvin deal?
Doesn't look like Jim likes this move one bit. If you're a Seahawks fan though, you should. No, this isn't a remake of the Deion Branch trade. All you've got to do is watch highlights of the two side by side and you'll see why. Percy Harvin is a gamebreaker. The type of player that can change the course of a game at any single moment. If Harvin can keep his ego in check and go "All In" to what Pete Carroll's preaching, and if he can stay healthy for most of the 2013 season, Seahawks fans will remember this day for a very long time. The day they went out with aggression and no fear and got themselves a legitimate superstar. One that takes them one step closer to the Super Bowl at the Meadowlands.
Oh, and did I mention that Percy Harvin wore the #12 in Minnesota? Think it's a sign? Let's hope so.
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