The Seahawks' decision to trade Percy Harvin to the Jets raises questions about what this means for Seattle's offense. The short answer? Expect a re-commitment to the type of offense the Seahawks rode to a Super Bowl XLVIII championship.
Seahawks get back to their roots with Percy Harvin trade
The Seahawks surprised everyone by trading Percy Harvin to the Jets on Friday. The deal signals a return to the offensive system that helped Seattle win a Super Bowl last season.
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Seattle will look to get back to their desired identity as a smashmouth, run-focused zone team that balances the ground game with Marshawn Lynch by taking shots downfield with Russell Wilson on play action. Harvin wasn't a major threat in either of those areas, and instead was mostly used as an open field weapon in the short/intermediate range. Harvin was targeted frequently behind the line of scrimmage on bubble screens and on fly/jet sweeps. Seattle manufactured touches for him by handing him carries out of the backfield as a running back, as well.
Harvin wasn’t widely deployed or targeted as a traditional receiver. Through five games this year, he averaged 4.4 receptions and 26.6 yards per game, with 2.2 carries for 18.4 yards per game on the ground. His lone touchdown came out of the backfield on a pitch from Wilson.
With Harvin, the Seahawks had transitioned to primarily three-receiver, shotgun formations, eschewing some “heavy” under-center sets that feature two tight ends or a fullback. They started to get away from their old school I-formation lead runs or classic foundational outside zone runs. I would expect these types of looks to show up more frequently now for Seattle, and a bigger focus on play-action bootlegs where Wilson is taking the snap from under center.
Comparable schemes to look at include the Cleveland Browns' new outside zone game, the Houston Texans' zone running game with Arian Foster, and Dallas' newly balanced offensive scheme.
Harvin is a supremely talented athlete and football player. Seattle absorbs a hefty sunk cost around the acquisition and loses a major threat in their offense by trading Harvin to the Jets. Harvin’s home-run hitting ability from anywhere on the field comes to mind first and foremost when considering what the Seahawks lose in the trade.
Harvin’s main strength is in the short to intermediate area, taking quick passes and creating explosive plays with his feet, and he’s one of the toughest runners at the receiver position in the NFL. Teams legitimately have to tilt coverage his way because of his ability as a threat in the open field. Harvin has undeniable speed, and that’s something that New York can utilize in a number of ways.
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