The Minnesota Vikings made the first huge splash of the 2013 offseason when they traded Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks for multiple draft picks and now they are trying to soften the blow, bringing back wideout Jerome Simpson.
According to league sources that spoke to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Simpson signed a one-year deal with the team and will be one of the players the Vikings hope will make up for the loss of Harvin. The 27-year-old appeared in 12 games for the Vikings in 2012, making 26 receptions for 274 yards.
The Vikings deal with Harvin is still up in the air until he signs an extension, but the Seahawks knew that when they made the deal and are likely to give him his money. Harvin is reportedly looking for top dollar as a wideout, which one reason why the Vikings traded him in the first place.
Simpson previously was suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and missed three games last season. Over his career he has made 97 catches for 1,278 yards and seven touchdowns in 41 career games with the Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. According to ESPN.com, his best season came in 2011 when he had 725 receiving yards and four touchdowns with Cincinnati.
Harvin will be hard to replace on the field, as he is one of the fastest players in the NFL and was also adept at returning kicks. He was an MVP candidate through the first half of last season before getting hurt and despite missing time for injuries, he still led the Vikings with 62 catches for 677 yards and three touchdowns.
The 24-year-old has scored 29 touchdowns in his career and could be too big of a hole for the Vikings to fill. The team is looking at Steelers receiver Mike Wallace, but he has been rumored to want to sign with the Miami Dolphins. Wes Welker and Greg Jennings are also options, especially Jennings, who will cost less than the other two.
Welker could provide speed and dependability to Christian Ponder and a team that ranked 31st in the league in passing with 171 yards per game. The team was second in rushing, but without a passing game it will be tough for them to make the playoffs again. The team had a good start but faltered in the middle of the year before winning their last four to make the playoffs.
Adrian Peterson won MVP and he will need to be even better now that Harvin is gone. The team can replace him with numbers, but the dynamic presence on the field will be hard to duplicate