Percy's future w/ Vikings looking uncertain

[tmscr]

this is what i was talking about a few weeks ago. time to trade him (unless the deals are so crummy you can't justify it). the vikings need a QB and several WR's. it doesn't matter how good harvin is if we don't have someone to get him the ball. trade him and really expedite the rebuilding process! please don't let us wait too long and be left with peanuts when he doesn 't accept our contract offer!

[mansquatch]

IMO, the only way a player of Harvin's caliber leaves this team is if the Coach/GM feel he is a Terrel Owens type that they cannot control and is a total locker room cancer. Harvin has had his well publicized issues (empahsis on publicized) but he is not anywhere near TO or even Moss.

The reality is if the Vikings want to keep him they can use the Franchise tag if he is unwilling to negotiate. My hope is Spielman reads the writing on the wall and gets the extention done this winter. The money obviously is a motivating factor for Harvin, so get it done and get back to football.

[PurpleMustReign]

[At this point, I don't see much fire to go with the smoke.

THANK YOU. I'm glad I am not the only one thinking that.

[BGM]

You're doing the organization a disservice keeping a guy who's went after the head coach three times, all three on record. Throw in choking his coach in college. And the guy is clearly a distraction. Reportedly wanted out this offseason. And now has had two arguments with Frazier *this season*. I'd rather get what I could then wait and have a hold out, if not this season, next for sure. Even if we franchise him. His value isn't what it should be because he's an injury prone nut case. As good as he is this teams need to keep cleaning up the attitudes.

When you don't like a guy, you REALLY don't like a guy.

A distraction? How? By being one of the most dynamic players on the team? By getting vocal on the sidelines? Since college, when has he physically "gone after" a coach? Verbally, sure. But what exactly is the issue with that?

"Injury prone nut case"? Good Grief, Demi, I'm just going to crown you the king of hyperbole right now and end the suspense. This is the first injury in which Harvin has lost significant playing time. While he used to miss a game here or there due to migraines, those seem to be under control. Before he was injured, he was second only to AD as the most exciting player on the team. Heck, in the NFL for that matter.

Whether these rumors are true or not, I think Harvin is good for the Vikings and vice versa. Of course, your mileage obviously varies.

[losperros]

That's true... just like any other player in a contract year.

Exactly. It happens. Besides, first and foremost is the fact that the Vikings need what Harvin brings to the field.

Seriously now, if the Vikings staff honestly can't handle the bickering, then they should lead a boy scout troop instead of being a NFL team. My goodness! A NFL star has attitudinal issues? I doubt Frazier is losing much sleep over it at the moment, if at all.

[Raggamont]

What about this?

Vikings give up Harvin and their first
Raiders, Chiefs or Panthers first and second

Who sais "no"?

[Mercy Percy]

What about this?

Vikings give up Harvin and their first
Raiders, Chiefs or Panthers first and second

Who sais "no"?

I 'SAYS' no Harvin is an elite talent. Can we find an elite talent like Harvin in the 2nd round sure we maybe could but would it be a sure thing no. I would want a 1st and 2nd without giving up one of our picks.

[Texas Vike]

What about this?

Vikings give up Harvin and their first
Raiders, Chiefs or Panthers first and second

Who sais "no"?

I say NO!

I agree with other posters here: Percy is worth way too much to the Vikings to give him up so easily.

My impression is that Percy has these temperamental outbreaks because he is an extremely competitive guy and he gets frustrated at times and lashes out at authority figures (especially coaches). You can't deny that he has lashed out. He's reported to have thrown a weight at Childress (Shoot, maybe I would have too) and we saw Percy verbally attack Frazier during the Seattle game. He seems to have these incidents particularly when he's hurt and frustrated and feels like he can't get on the field and do something about a situation he doesn't like (losing, for example).

Pelissero typically appears level headed to me, but this particular story seems to be a lot of loose interpretation and based more on hunches than hard evidence. He cites Percy's bond with Moss as support of his argument. Pretty weak IMO.

I also do not get the sense that Frazier is anything like Childress regarding discipline and control of the team. Childress often appeared insecure of his authority. He made moves that reeked of desperation--he was desperate for respect and tried to obtain it by flashing his "power". Frazier's approach seems to me much more mature and sustainable. I hope I'm not wrong, because a talent like Percy does not come around too often and draft picks would not make it worthwhile for me. We NEED WRs!!!

[PurpleKoolaid]

Maybe he is sick of dealing with idiot coaches?

Whatever it takes, we have to re-sign him. If e paid Greenway all that because he can tackle, we should pay PH twice as much because he can do everythng else.

[S197]

Part of rebuilding is keeping your foundation in place. You don't put up a load bearing wall in a house just to knock it down a few years later. Trade AD he fumbles! Trade Allen he's invisible! Trade Harvin he's a nutcase!

Pelissero's article said absolutely nothing new. Must have been a slow week for him or something.

[losperros]

Part of rebuilding is keeping your foundation in place. You don't put up a load bearing wall in a house just to knock it down a few years later. Trade AD he fumbles! Trade Allen he's invisible! Trade Harvin he's a nutcase!

Well said. I agree wholeheartedly.

Pelissero's article said absolutely nothing new. Must have been a slow week for him or something.

Exactly. Pelissero has been great diagnosing the team after games. But this was a routine conjecture article and offered nothing groundbreaking.

[VikingLord]

The stories around Harvin seem confusing. On one hand, he supposedly has all these problems with one of the most laid-back coaches in the NFL in Frazier. That's possible, but at the same time, it's hard to know what the nature of those issues really are. Just because a player and coach get into a "heated" argument doesn't mean there is bad blood there, so that may be much ado about nothing. On a sidenote, it seemed like there was genuine bad blood between Harvin and Chilly. I think Harvin has played football long enough to know the difference between a coach he can respect and a coach he can't, and IMHO, he's not going to find someone easier to work with than Frazier.

On the trade front, I see estimates that Harvin is likely to get a bank-breaking deal either as a FA or via an extension, but supposedly he only could command a 2nd or even a 3rd via trade? That seems incongruous to me. Either he's a star player you build an offense around or he's not. If he's a star, I wouldn't part with him for less than a 1st, and I certainly wouldn't give up a 1st and Harvin for a WR like Fitz who is getting long in the tooth. Harvin is just 24 years old and has a lot of his best football in front of him Fitz is 29 and has 9 years on his tires. I don't even know if Fitz alone is worth a 1st at this point even for a team as desperate for help at WR as the Vikes. The only way a trade like that could make sense would be if the Vikes know Harvin isn't going to work out. Even then, it's a bombastic solution to a problem that might be better solved in other ways.

Finally, there is Harvin himself. I've read a lot of negative things about the guy, but I see fewer negative behaviors in public and on the field with Harvin than with many "stars". I don't see Harvin sulking ala Randy Moss. I see him getting passionate and animated, but it's clear he just wants to win. The negative reports always seem to be from "team sources" or "insiders", but I just don't see it on the field. Harvin seems like he's a team guy and just wants to win, and IMHO, he has every right to go off when his QB can't deliver a simple swing pass as preceded his outburst in the game at Seattle.

If I'm in charge of the Vikes, I do everything in my power to keep Harvin in Purple as long as I can. Maybe he just needs to mature a little, and there may be ways to help that, but trading him or allowing him to leave via FA is throwing the baby out with the bath water. This is a guy who single-handedly made Ponder's passing numbers tolerable through the first half of the season, and a guy who can not just contribute, but be a game-changer, as a receiver, running back, and returner. He's way too valuable to give up on, and I could not forgive the Vikes if they got anything less than the 22nd pick they used on him if they did decide to trade him.

[Texas Vike]

The stories around Harvin seem confusing. On one hand, he supposedly has all these problems with one of the most laid-back coaches in the NFL in Frazier. That's possible, but at the same time, it's hard to know what the nature of those issues really are. Just because a player and coach get into a "heated" argument doesn't mean there is bad blood there, so that may be much ado about nothing. On a sidenote, it seemed like there was genuine bad blood between Harvin and Chilly. I think Harvin has played football long enough to know the difference between a coach he can respect and a coach he can't, and IMHO, he's not going to find someone easier to work with than Frazier.

On the trade front, I see estimates that Harvin is likely to get a bank-breaking deal either as a FA or via an extension, but supposedly he only could command a 2nd or even a 3rd via trade? That seems incongruous to me. Either he's a star player you build an offense around or he's not. If he's a star, I wouldn't part with him for less than a 1st, and I certainly wouldn't give up a 1st and Harvin for a WR like Fitz who is getting long in the tooth. Harvin is just 24 years old and has a lot of his best football in front of him Fitz is 29 and has 9 years on his tires. I don't even know if Fitz alone is worth a 1st at this point even for a team as desperate for help at WR as the Vikes. The only way a trade like that could make sense would be if the Vikes know Harvin isn't going to work out. Even then, it's a bombastic solution to a problem that might be better solved in other ways.

Finally, there is Harvin himself. I've read a lot of negative things about the guy, but I see fewer negative behaviors in public and on the field with Harvin than with many "stars". I don't see Harvin sulking ala Randy Moss. I see him getting passionate and animated, but it's clear he just wants to win. The negative reports always seem to be from "team sources" or "insiders", but I just don't see it on the field. Harvin seems like he's a team guy and just wants to win, and IMHO, he has every right to go off when his QB can't deliver a simple swing pass as preceded his outburst in the game at Seattle.

If I'm in charge of the Vikes, I do everything in my power to keep Harvin in Purple as long as I can. Maybe he just needs to mature a little, and there may be ways to help that, but trading him or allowing him to leave via FA is throwing the baby out with the bath water. This is a guy who single-handedly made Ponder's passing numbers tolerable through the first half of the season, and a guy who can not just contribute, but be a game-changer, as a receiver, running back, and returner. He's way too valuable to give up on, and I could not forgive the Vikes if they got anything less than the 22nd pick they used on him if they did decide to trade him.

Solid post.

[jackal]

I have always got the feeling the headaches were more about being pissed off at Childress and the Vikings

It just seems like when everything wasn't going his way there was a medical issue or something ..

Harvin is great on the field, but the problem is he never stays healthy

[Eli]

That's true... just like any other player in a contract year.

No, that is absolutely NOT true. Do you think Adrian Peterson's future, or Matt Kalil's or Chad Greenway's or Kevin Williams' or Jared Allen's future would be uncertain in a contract year? HELL no. The only uncertain thing would be the number of zeroes on their new contracts. These guys are the core of the team and Wilf and the Vikings have bent over backwards to accommodate stars like them.

Harvin is in another boat entirely, whether or not fans want to believe it. I'd compare his situation somewhat with that of Sidney Rice. The Vikings simply may not be willing to offer as much money as other teams. Knowing what they know about Harvin's medical and injury background, the Vikings' contract offer could include a lot of incentives, as Pelissero speculates. That may not sit well with Harvin and his agent.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Harvin traded. It's far from ideal, but I'm sure the Vikings have a much better feel for the situation than anyone here can guess. If they see problems in re-signing him, or they have reservations about writing Harvin a blank check, then it would be in their best interest to pick up a couple of draft picks for the guy rather than having him walk away after next season.