The New York Jets have done exactly what everyone expected them to do, release Percy Harvin. This has been a move rumored to happen since the start of the offseason thanks to his high salary cap hit and the Jets have made it official. The question becomes what happens to Harvin now as he prepares to join his fourth team in a short career. Is there a market for the versatile wide receiver?
According to NFL Media's Albert Breer, the Jets are releasing Harvin following the trade of Brandon Marshall. Harvin will now be able to sign with any team once free agency officially begins at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The Jets had acquired Harvin back in October from the Seattle Seahawks who acquired him from the Minnesota Vikings. The Jets tried to retain Harvin, but needed the wide receiver to restructure his contract as they could simply not afford to keep on his $10.5 million salary cap hit. Harvin was unwilling to take any sort of pay cut so now he will test his value on the free agent market.
So where could Harvin land? The wide receiver is a versatile threat as both a catcher and return man on special teams. Anyone in need of an offensive playmaker could really make Harvin a priority. According to NFL.com, there are likely four potential teams that could show interest in Harvin. He certainly will not sign a contract worth what he was earning originally, but there will be a decent amount of interest for him.
The New England Patriots are considered the favorites for Harvin. They have reportedly been interested for several weeks now as they aim for another body alongside Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell. Bill Belichick was reportedly a big fan of the receiver when he entered the draft and now he could finally get ahold of him in free agency.
The Oakland Raiders would offer the most money. The team desperately needs a No. 1 guy to help Derek Carr and Harvin would be a strong asset. They missed out on Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin meaning Harvin would be the best option. They will run an offense that could really highlight the strengths of Harvin. The Eagles could also interest as they suddenly need a strong receiver. After failing to retain Maclin, the team has Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews. Getting Harvin would really help and he is the ideal type of player for Chip Kelly.
Harvin will not ink a long-term contract. After bouncing around the league, no one will give him a big commitment, but someone will sign him and likely get a good amount of production. Harvin is only 26 with plenty of playing days left in him.