When the Vikings open training camp July 26, there’s no doubt Percy Harvin Minnesota’s number one wide receiver will be there. The star athlete had requested a trade last week and then returned to OTA’s the following day.
Harvin is one of the team’s few difference-makers on offense, respected by peers, popular among fans and the media. He is too important to just cut loose. The Vikings had a horrible record last year, three wins and 13 losses, Harvin is a great asset in their quest to rebound.
The Vikings general manager Rick Spielman released a statement saying the team has no intention of trading him. “He’s a key part of our organization…(h)e’s a key part of our football team,” Spielman said. “Any issues that are out there or reported, we always handle those internally and continue to handle those internally.”
The media portrayed Harvin as so disgruntled that he would not try during minicamp. However, Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier gave a positive response to the question of whether Harvin is trying in minicamp.
“It was good that he had the energy and wanted to get out there just to see how he felt,” Frazier said. “And everything went well.” It seems that Harvin has put his problems behind him and is focused on contributing to the team’s success.
With the Vikings principal running back Adrian Peterson recovering from a torn ACL, Harvin will most likely be in line for a bigger role. Harvin is the team’s number one wide receiver and Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder will have to throw to him often if they are losing.
Ponder discussed on Thursday what he thinks of the current Harvin situation. “No, I’m not (concerned),” Ponder said. “The front office will handle it and they’ll do a great job.”
The front office seems to be doing nothing thus far about satisfying Harvin. Harvin makes less money than two veteran wide receivers on the team, even though he outperforms them. Every other team has their number one receiver as the highest paid wide receiver on the team If the Vikings were serious about satisfying Harvin, then they should at least make him the highest paid wide receiver on the team.
The only positive thing that has come out of this situation is that it slightly decreases the pressure on Peterson. ESPN had been consistently giving updates about Peterson’s recovery from the injury, which makes it seem like no one else on the team matters.
By Noah Weintraub
