The Oakland Raiders are in desperate need of some offensive upgrades. The team ranked 26th in passing yards per game (204.7), 32nd in rushing (77.5) and 31st in points (15.8). General manager Reggie McKenzie and new head coach Jack Del Rio both believe in second-year quarterback Derek Carr and want to help him develop. But Oakland missed out on the top two free agent wide receivers (Randall Cobb & Jeremy Maclin) this offseason. That's why the team is turning its attention to Percy Harvin, who will be released by the New York Jets sometime today.
Harvin has been linked to other teams such as the New England Patriots. But Oakland has roughly $60 million in cap space which will be hard to compete with. However, a Harvin-to-Oakland move isn't a slam dunk at this point.
"Harvin interest contingent on a meeting & the right price, I am told. Even with Musgrave connection, #Raiders have to inspect the baggage," Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle tweeted.
The connection Tafur spoke of is with Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, who was in the same role with the Minnesota Vikings from 2011-2013 when Harvin was there. The baggage he spoke of is Harvin's reputation as a mercurial person who sometimes disrupts locker room harmony. The Raiders are attempting to change the losing culture that has bogged the organization down in recent years. Signing a mopey player will not help that cause.
Harvin's production waned considerably last season - he caught just 51 passes for 483 yards and one touchdown between the Seahawks and the Jets - but he is still a versatile player who can line up all over the offense. He's also still just 26-years-old, making his long-term upside worth a small gamble.
Overall, the pairing makes a lot of sense. Harvin is trying to jumpstart his career while the Raiders are trying to build a winning football team for the first time in over a decade. It could work.
