Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin wants a new contract, and is already threatening to hold out -- all the while the Vikings reportedly attempt to trade the talented wide receiver. Harvin reportedly has his sights set quite high on a new contract.
Percy Harvin rumors: Vikings WR wants contract similar to Calvin Johnson
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin could seek a contract similar to Calvin Johnson’s eight-year, $150 million dollar deal that he signed last offseason.
According to NBC Pro Football Talk, Harvin could seek a similar long-term contract to the ones that Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed.
Unfortunately for Harvin, it appears he’ll be hard-pressed to reach such a deal.
Johnson signed an eight-year, $150 million dollar deal last May. Johnson was excellent in 2011, catching 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns. The 1,000-plus yard season was Johnson’s third in his career, and third in his last four seasons.
Megatron followed up his 2011 with a record-breaking 2012, catching 122 passes for an all-time NFL best 1,964 yards.
Arizona signed Fitzgerald to an eight-year, $128 million dollar deal prior to the 2011 season. At the time of his extension, Fitzgerald was coming off four consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, and had established himself as one of the premium wide receivers in all of football.
Between 2007-2010, Fitzgerald caught 383 passes for 5,069 yards and 41 touchdowns -- numbers certainly deserving of a rich contract.
For more on the Vikings, head to Daily Norseman
In comparison, Harvin has never recorded 1,000 receiving yards in one season, but does return kicks and is utilized in the running game, unlike Fitzgerald or Johnson.
Still, it’s going to be very difficult for Harvin’s camp to argue that he’s as productive or valuable as Johnson or Fitzgerald.
During free agency in 2012, Vincent Jackson was widely regarded as the top wide receiver. Jackson agreed to a five-year, $55 million dollar contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though Jackson doesn't offer help in the return game like Harvin, Jackson was coming off an 1,106-yard season entering free agency. Jackson entered free agency with 1,000-plus yard seasons in three of his last four seasons -- the only exception coming in 2010, when Jackson only appeared in five games.
Harvin’s skill set is unique, given that he can help a team in more areas of the game than Johnson, Fitzgerald and Jackson can. That unique skill set, however, puts Harvin at an increased risk for injury.
If Harvin is seeking Megatron-esque money, then his trade value plummets, as teams are likely going to be unwilling to surrender a high draft pick for a receiver seeking such an enormous payday -- which means that the Vikings and Harvin could be at odds for quite some time.
See More:
