This trade does not surprise me. The pricetag does, a little bit, but not the trade itself. Golden Tate is the prototypical John Schneider WR, and Tate is very often compared to a lesser version of Percy Harvin.
Three receivers last year felt undefendable when we played them: Welker, Marshall, and Harvin. Harvin is very hard to defend on quicker throws, and as such makes an ideal slot WR in our offense.
I think we overpaid. But I also think that we overpaid for Zach Miller too, and Miller really helped us out last year. Another way to look at it- had Seattle traded up for Cordarrelle Patterson they are probably paying a heavier draft pick cost than what they paid for Harvin. The money is the part that hurts, so we'll see how Seattle handles this new contract especially since they might be forced to fix the pass rush before the draft now without that #25 overall.
The only bummer draft wise is that I'll probably have to say sayonara to Datone Jones and Ryan Swope as realistic options. Sylvester Williams, Kawann Short, Brandon Williams and Corey Lemonier look like the front runners at #58.
If I was Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, Leon Washington, Matt Flynn, or possibly even Red Bryant, I'd be very anxious right now. I think the odds of those players being restructured/traded/released just increased.
I would not have made this move as GM. It is not the most efficient use of resources. It's hardly a Deion Branch trade though- Branch was made by Tom Brady and Harvin excelled despite mostly crappy QB play. FWIW, I was in the minority as a Branch trade hater when it happened in 2006, but this is easily a superior trade. And even if I don't like the value, I LOVE Percy Harvin the football player. He's going to make the NFL's funnest team to watch even more interesting and exciting than before. Everyone who isn't a Seahawks fan is going to wish they were next season.
