One day after suggesting that he might hold out, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin has demanded a trade, according to an AP report. A league source told the AP that Harvin requested the trade, but the source doubts such a trade will happen.
This request goes a step further from the usual threat of a holdout. Leslie Frazier is under the impression the anger is not over Harvin's role in the offense. That would leave displeasure with his rookie contract, which, including potential escalators, would pay him at most $3.4925 million over the next two years. Although this is all part of the dance that comes with disgruntled players, this would appear to be quite the escalation in a very short amount of time.
The NFL generally goes into a bit of a hibernation over the next month, but this story will likely remain prominent heading into Vikings training camp. As Ted pointed out yesterday, "For a team coming off a 3-13 campaign, with a young QB still developing with his receivers, and an All-World running back rehabbing from a serious knee injury, this is the absolute last thing the Vikings need."