The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe they've boosted their offense by adding a player coming out of retirement. Might the 49ers do the same in response?
One day after the Bucs acquired tight end Rob Gronkowski in a trade with the Patriots, ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that wide receiver Percy Harvin is attempting an NFL comeback. Harvin, who turns 32 next month, has appeared in 75 career games with four different teams, but last played in 2016 when he was limited to two games with the Buffalo Bills.
"I thought I was done, but that itch came back," Harvin told Anderson.
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Harvin retired for a second time back in 2017 and told Anderson that he couldn't get up and down the stairs last summer without using a handrail. However, he recently underwent hip surgery, during which doctors found a blockage that might have been there since high school.
In an attempt to make it back to the NFL, Harvin has been training with a former Olympian and says he currently weighs 185 pounds. Judging by some of his workout videos, he appears to be in great shape.
Selected with the No. 22 overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings out of the University of Florida, Harvin was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, his most memorable moment came in Super Bowl XLVIII when he returned an 87-yard kickoff for a touchdown while helping the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos. Now, he just wants an opportunity to join "any offense that'll just let [him] go."
So, the question is, would that offense be the 49ers'?
San Francisco 49ers
In short: probably not.
While Harvin's agent expects him to get one or more training-camp invites, it's unlikely one of those comes from San Francisco. For one, there's a decent chance the 49ers could add one of the top receiving prospects in this week's 2020 NFL Draft. Secondly, general manager John Lynch has suggested he is comfortable with the receiving corps they already have, and Harvin would be duplicative of certain players already on the roster.
[RELATED: Lynch preparing like 49ers, NFL season starting on schedule]
Of course, it's certainly possible that San Francisco opts to address other positions in the draft, and some of the incumbent receivers are either shipped out or passed over. If that's the way it works out, then sure, the 49ers might consider adding Harvin. There would be barely any risk, and the potential reward would outweigh it.
That said, if the 49ers are counting on Harvin, that means something likely went very wrong.