Minnesota Vikings Trading Percy Harvin? Which Coach Is Willing to Provide the Urban Meyer Treatment?

Mike Max of WCCO reported that the Minnesota Vikings will look to trade Percy Harvin this offseason. Harvin is supremely talented on the football field, but – adding up the information that has come out since his ankle injury, and other incidents from his past – is equally a pain in the butt away from it.

According to Max, multiple sources say that Percy Harvin had an “embarrassing tirade” against Leslie Frazier after he had already injured his ankle, and this led to him being placed on Injured Reserve. This could raise questions about whether they properly placed him on IR, but the team has plausible deniability because Harvin had been hurt. Tom Pelissero wrote about the altercation back in December at the time Harvin was placed on IR: “In reality, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, discussions already were underway with Harvin’s agent, Joel Segal, about making a decision both sides believed was in the best interest of the player and the team based strictly on the injury.” Last offseason, Harvin had a brief period of drama, where he reportedly asked for a trade, and then everyone claimed it didn’t happen. (Yeah, it most likely did).

So, maybe the motivation to not find out if he could return by week 17 and help the team was driven by the most recent altercation. If you are a team looking to trade for Percy Harvin, it is Buyer Beware when a team with absolutely nothing else at wide receiver is departing with a player who can do this:

If Harvin had an injury operate as an excuse for discipline, well, it wouldn’t be the first time. Remember this story about Urban Meyer and the Florida program? Harvin was one of several players, also including Aaron Hernandez, who allegedly missed a game for what was labeled an injury but was really a drug suspension.

In addition, Harvin was the centerpiece of the entitlement allowed by Meyer at Florida. There was also a story about Harvin refusing to do conditioning workouts, and sitting down and refusing to run, only to get to play basketball for “conditioning” the next day. Another account involved Harvin attacking his receiver coach without discipline.

So which NFL coach is willing to provide the Urban Meyer treatment for Harvin in the NFL? He has had issues, and also gets hurt. He can change a game, but hard-nosed coaches who won’t look the other way are probably not an option here. I don’t think you can give up something of value, such as the early pick Harvin’s ability would otherwise dictate, if you aren’t willing to tolerate him. He’s not likely to change his stripes if it worked for him along the way.

[photo via USA Today Sports Images]