Last week, Vikings G.M. Rick Spielman tiptoed around the question of whether he wants receiver Percy Harvin on the team in 2013. On Friday, Spielman was clear on one point.
He has no plans to trade Harvin to another team.
Speaking to a small group of reporters, Spielman said the Vikings have “no intent” to trade Harvin.
The key words are the words in quotes. “No intent.”
Intent can change. Especially if someone offers the Vikings a package of picks and/or players that could prompt intent to change.
The Vikings can’t maximize the return for Harvin if the other 31 teams think that the Vikings want to dump him. But they’ll either have to trade him or pay him. Otherwise, they’ll have to deal with a holdout that could, in theory, extend all the way to Week 10 of the regular season.
For now, it sounds like the Vikings aren’t thinking about paying him. Spielman said he expects Harvin to be at training camp.
Regardless of whether and to what extent Harvin was a headache in the past, he’s destined to become one soon, unless he gets a new contract.