Could Percy Harvin make a Rob Gronkowski-sized splash with the Saints?

Retired NFL playmaker Percy Harvin took a page from Rob Gronkowski’s playbook and is attempting a comeback. The Saints should be interested.

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Big-name players from the mid-2010’s era of NFL action seem to be coming out of the woodwork as we roll into the 2020’s. Tom Brady successfully recruited Rob Gronkowski into exiting retirement for one more run together, which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made happen through a trade with the New England Patriots on Tuesday. Now Percy Harvin is eyeing a comeback, and that’s an interesting opportunity for the New Orleans Saints.

ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported Wednesday that Harvin, 31, is preparing to audition for teams. Harvin was electric, back in the day: he scored a combined 32 touchdowns (22 as a receiver, five each as a rusher and kick returner) in eight years, predominately with the Minnesota Vikings. Harvin also suited up for the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets before finishing his career quietly with the Buffalo Bills, playing his last snap back in 2016. He averaged more than 66 yards from scrimmage per game in 75 outings.

It’s unclear how much juice Harvin has left, but the Saints aren’t talented enough at receiver to overlook him. Beyond Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, their only somewhat-proven commodity is Tre’Quan Smith, a third-year pro who has caught just 46 passes in his first two seasons. Adding Harvin to the mix, maybe after the 2020 NFL Draft, wouldn’t hurt.

Harvin does have a reputation as a troublemaker, maybe even a locker room cancer. It goes back to his college days on Urban Meyer’s wild Florida Gators teams. In 2018, well after his playing days appeared to be behind him, Harvin spoke with Sports Illustrated about his struggles with mental health and a severe anxiety disorder. Now, he says his time away from the spotlight has done a lot to help him grow. A positive locker room culture like the one the Saints have built could reinforce his personal growth.

So let’s say that the Saints can bring Harvin in at near-minimum salary. That alone might be a better return on their investment than the $10 million the Buccaneers are paying Gronkowski (a year Harvin’s junior) this year. The last time Gronkowski took the field, he finished with just three touchdown passes and averaged only 52.5 receiving yards per game, his lowest since his rookie year. In Tampa Bay, he’s slotted to play third-fiddle behind O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

His on-field talents certainly caught the Saints’ attention. Back in 2014, Sean Payton talked up Harvin’s abilities: “He is a dynamic player. He can run exceptionally fast. He can change direction very well. You have to pay attention to where he is anytime he is on the field as a returner and clearly as someone that can line up in a lot of different spots that we’ve seen as a player on offense.”

It’s easy to envision Payton deploying Harvin on the sweeps, pitches, and vertical routes that he’s tried out other gadget players with before. The idea of seeing whether Harvin can execute those plays better than, say, Tommylee Lewis is certainly appealing. While Deonte Harris is in no danger of being replaced on special teams, he’s also probably a year or two away from contributing often on offense. If he still has his wheels, Harvin could bridge the gap until Harris is ready to take on a bigger role.

But we’ve got a while to go before there’s any movement between Harvin and interested NFL teams — if there turns out to be any interest at all. There aren’t many players who come back to the game years after stepping away without missing a beat, even if Gronkowski is attempting it and if Marshawn Lynch sort-of pulled it off last year. But wouldn’t it be great if Harvin turned things around in New Orleans, a city known for bouncing back?

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