Percy Harvin traded to New York Jets: 5 Reasons Why

Oct 12, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter of a 26-20 Dallas victory at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

1. Trading Harvin and his salary opens up cap space for players like Russell Wilson.

Harvin is owed a lot of money in the next few seasons after originally signing a five-year $64 million contract with the Seahawks in 2013.

The Jets are expected to take some of Harvin’s guaranteed salary with the trade, which opens up money for the Seahawks to focus on their focal players, like Wilson, whose contracts expire this offseason.

Wilson will probably get a mega-contract, but Seattle also needs to renegotiate the contracts of Cliff Avril, K.J. Wright, Byron Maxwell, Malcolm Smith, and Jermaine Kearse if they want the core of their team to remain in Seattle.

Harvin wasn’t producing the numbers his salary was worth and Seattle might have just wanted some of that money burden off their chest, so they traded Harvin to a team that would help pay for him.