The Vikings Traded Percy Harvin To The Seahawks

Since the Vikings were able to overtake a couple teams for the final playoff spot last season while WR Percy Harvin was injured, it makes some sense to trade the oft-injured receiver now, when they can obtain three draft picks (including a 2013 1st rounder) and avoid paying him the $10+ million per season he'll demand in any extension.

If the Vikings did get multiple picks for Harvin and a first rounder it's a good trade. I know folks in Seattle who think they can fix him.
— Judd Zulgad (@1500ESPNJudd) March 11, 2013

Even if this makes the Vikings less of a threat next season, the draft picks will be more valuable down the road. On the other hand...

Wasn't Harvin worthy of MVP consideration before he was injured on November 4th? He's the type of player, in the prime of his playing career, that teams should do anything to acquire, not trade away.

Who's the second-best player on the Vikings' offense now? Obviously RB Adrian Peterson is playing as well as any running back who's ever played the game, but his teammates are a weak collection of sidekicks. They had problems at receiver before they traded away Harvin, and now the cupboard is bare.

Other than the selection of Harvin, the Vikings have been lousy at finding quality receivers in free agency or the draft. The last time the Vikings traded a star receiver away for a draft pick (WR Randy Moss) they used the seventh overall selection on WR Troy Williamson.

Every recent free agent receiver they've signed recently (WR Michael Jenkins, WR Jerome Simpson, WR Devin Aromashodu) has either already been released or isn't part of the solution. Maybe they've got someone promising in WR Jarius Wright, but there's no reason to believe the Vikings will certainly find someone has good as Harvin.

This trade isn't a seismic shift in the NFC North, but I don't see how it makes the Vikings better (unless Harvin's always going to be injury prone). The Vikings received good value in return and now it's up to them to make their team better with the additional draft picks and cap room they received.