With the Eagles reportedly choosing not to make a formidable offer to Jeremy Maclin and allowing him to go to the Chiefs, they will be in the business of trying to find a legitimate number one receiver. With a lack of depth at the position in free agency, they might have to evaluate the chance of bringing on the speedster.
Here are the three reasons why Harvin could fit in Chip Kelly's offense:
1. Versatility
Harvin is a multidimensional threat on the field because of his speed and elusiveness. He is a match-up nightmare, much like DeSean Jackson is for secondaries because of his verticle speed, but also his ability to create yards after the catch. In Philadelphia, he would assume the roles that Josh Huff currently has on the team, and Chip Kelly loves players that can fill more than one role. Fielding kick-offs and punts, while also providing match-up problems in the slot, he would be a perfect addition to Chip's current arsenal of weapons.
2. He Fills an Obvious Need
Like I touched on previously, Harvin could bring back to Philly something that they lacked last season after releasing DeSean Jackson, and with Maclin leaving this offseason, he will be the obvious number one receiver. Although, at times last season Josh Huff showed glimpses of the same sort of athleticism that Jackson had, he was extremely unreliable when the Eagles needed him most. With Philadelphia needing a receiver that can stretch a defense out like Jackson did, not allowing them to stack the box, Harvin would be a good receiver to fill the need.
3. Familiarity
There is only an 85 mile difference between MetLife Stadium and Lincoln Financial. This is something that cannot be understated when thinking about having to move once again in such a short window.
With Byron Maxwell expected to sign with the Eagles at the start of free agency on Tuesday, that would put another one of Harvin's former Seahawks teammates on the Eagles, with Chris Maragos being the first. Although this might not be something that would be a determining factor in a situation like this, it is still something worth noting. It has to be nice seeing some familiar faces when you're joining a new organization.
Here is the biggest reason why he won't be with the Eagles:
This is all only a pipe dream unless Harvin can fix his recent persona of being a locker room problem and is willing to negotiate his asking price down. If Chip and the Eagles were willing to walk away from two top receivers, that just came off of career years, for the same two issues respectively, (Jackson's attitude, and Maclin's asking price) Harvin won't get it either.
