Percy Harvin: Super Bowl X-Factor?

It’s been an up and down year for Percy Harvin. He went from a high (being traded to a championship contender and receiving a contract extension) to a low (needing hip surgery) to another high (coming back ahead of schedule) back to a low (having a hip flare up with the potential to end his season) to another high (coming back for the playoffs) to a low (concussion) to a high (playing in the super bowl). On less than 10 targets/touches this year he’s had a 58 yard return, a one handed catch, a high-leaping jump ball catch, a beautiful run on an end around, and 2 hits take him to the locker room.

He’s playing only 6 quarters this season, yet the argument could be made he will be the most important offensive player in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Player Breakdown: Golden Tate

I've recently put some thought into Golden Tate and the fact that 2013 is the last year on his contract. Throughout the 2012 season, Tate proved to be a playmaker capable of making defenders miss and picking up extra yardage. Unfortunately for him, he is the third receiver on the roster and Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin will already have a combined $23.1 million cap number in 2014 (33% of the total offensive cap number). Factor in another $4-5 million that Tate will likely demand, and the receiver group becomes around 40% of total offensive spending. It’s hard to imagine a run-heavy team like the Seahawks spend $25+ million on wide receivers, which makes the possibility of Golden Tate in an opposing team's uniform starting 2014 more probable.

Earl Thomas and The Deep Middle

Russell Wilson is the most valued and irreplaceable Seahawk, with little doubt. But when it comes to the second most valuable Hawk, cases could be made for many players. Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch are well known players and first team all pros. Russell Okung is a pro-bowler at the most important position on the offensive line- left tackle. Max Unger is the brains of the offensive line, and also a first team all pro. However, I believe it is fellow first-team all pro Earl Thomas that allows Seattle’s defense to have the success it does, and is thus the second most valuable Seahawk.