Percy Harvin may be replaced by Walter Thurmond on 53-man roster

May 20, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin (11) participates in organized team activities at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Walter Thurmond is set to return from his four-game suspension, but there needs to be an open spot on the Seahawks active roster first.

According to multiple reports, it likely means that Percy Harvin, the Seahawks prized off-season acquisition may be placed on injured-reserve this week, ending his season.

Harvin, who played in just one game this season, would not be eligible to play until the 2014 season if he is placed on injured-reserve, even though he was originally anticipated to be healthy by the time postseason play rolled around.

Pete Carroll said the team has been patient, but Harvin’s progress has been slow, via Sports Radio KJR:

"“The progress wasn’t coming along fast enough to stay as a day-to-day issue. That’s when it kind of went week-to-week,” Carroll said. “We’re looking to take care of him; we need to get him right. He had major surgery and he tried with everything he could to get back, and hasn’t been able to get that done.”"

Placing Harvin on IR would clear up the roster spot necessary to get Thurmond back on the field. Thurmond is coming off a four-game suspension for testing positive to marijuana. Before his suspension, he had made 31 tackles, forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and recorded a sack in the 11 games he played in.

While the Seahawks will enjoy having Thurmond back, the pass-defense has been doing well without him. The team leads the league in passing yards allowed, allowing fewer than 174 passing yards per game.

On offense, the Seahawks have five active receivers: Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Ricardo Lockette and Bryan Walters.

Walters was originally anticipated to be put on the practice squad this week to make room for Thurmond, but injuries to Tate and Kearse last Sunday made it necessary to keep Walters on the active roster. Both Tate and Kearse are listed as questionable for Sunday’s regular season finale.

Though it will be disappointing to miss Harvin in action this postseason, provided he does get placed on IR, the team has played very well without him.

They are 12-3 with an opportunity to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win on Sunday. Harvin has contributed one catch for 17 yards and one kickoff return for 58 yards in his only game this season.