How Does Percy Harvin Fit in the Buffalo Bills' Redesigned Offense?

It's easy to see what Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills are attempting to do this offseason.

Understanding that he was unlikely to find a significant upgrade at the quarterback position, Ryan's new regime in Buffalo has attempted to alleviate the pressure on the position. This is something that Doug Marrone attempted to do ahead of his final season in Buffalo last year.

While the Bills have acquired two new signal-callers, the mediocre Matt Cassel and relative unknown Tyrod Taylor, their significant moves have been made at running back, wide receiver and offensive coordinator. Each of those spots has brought in proven commodities who have excelled in the NFL.

Before last season, new offensive coordinator Greg Roman had watched over a very quarterback-friendly offense for the San Francisco 49ers. With Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick as his quarterbacks, Roman relied on the run to set the tone for his team. His passing concepts played to the strengths of his quarterbacks.

Roman fell back on on Frank Gore in San Francisco. Although he inherited Fred Jackson in Buffalo, Jackson's age made his presence as the primary back a concern. Therefore, the Bills aggressively acquired LeSean McCoy by trading away young linebacker Kiko Alonso.

McCoy is another addition who isn't coming off his best year. He produced statistically for the Philadelphia Eagles but left too many yards on the field with hesitant running. If McCoy can return to his previous form, he will provide the Bills with an improved running game and a receiving option who can turn short passes into big plays.

Those are the kinds of benefits that make any quarterback's job easier.

While McCoy and Roman will be important additions for the Bills this offseason, neither is the most intriguing. It's been a while since wide receiver Percy Harvin has consistently displayed his exceptional talent. Not since 2011 with the Minnesota Vikings has Harvin even come close to reaching his potential in terms of production.

Injuries, misuse and a disrupted season have quelled Harvin's production since then. However, at just 26 years of age (27 before the start of next season), he is still in his physical prime.

Harvin is a unique player. That term that is thrown around too often in today's NFL, but for a select few, it is actually an accurate statement. Nobody in the league combines Harvin's physical ability with his natural talent as both a runner and receiver.

The Minnesota Vikings believed they could replace Harvin's ability with Cordarrelle Patterson after they traded the former away to the Seattle Seahawks. Patterson could replicate Harvin's physical ability and running talent, but his complete inability to run routes as a receiver eventually demoted him to the bench in Norv Turner's offense.

Any concerns over Harvin's ability to separate down the field are unfounded. He has the ability to consistently create separation and has shown that throughout his career.

A source close to Harvin told ESPN's Josina Anderson, before he signed with the Bills, that being used as a traditional wide receiver was something that was important to Harvin this offseason:

"

My understanding is that Percy wants to play the position full-time or get closer to that. He doesn't want to be the gadget guy all the time. He's grown tired of that. He wants to have a defined wide receiver role. I'm not saying he doesn't want to ever catch the ball out of the backfield again or run a bubble screen. He'll do whatever it takes to help the team win. I just think he wants to be respected as a traditional wide receiver threat.

"

Congruency is an important part of any wide receiving corps. In Buffalo, Harvin shouldn't be forced into any specific role because of the versatility and quality around him.

Along with McCoy and Harvin, the Bills have also signed tight end Charles Clay this offseason. Clay was significantly overpaid by the Bills, but his ability on the field is still impressive. He played hurt for much of last season, but he can act as an explosive underneath or intermediate receiver with some deep-threat ability when fully healthy.

With Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods already on the receiver depth chart, the Bills may have the most talented and versatile group of receiving options in the NFL.

Because Watkins can replicate Harvin's effectiveness on screen plays and when running the ball from the backfield, Harvin will be able to carry out a more traditional receiver role in Buffalo. Watkins is too talented to be only used as a gadget player also, so both players will likely share responsibilities.

Having both Watkins and Harvin on the field, with McCoy still drawing attention in the backfield, should make the Bills offense an unpredictable one.

Unpredictability is born on deception of expectations. If your offense continually forces the ball to Harvin on screens and designed runs, he obviously won't be as effective as if you are sprinkling those plays in. With Watkins on the other side of the field, the defense will be stretched horizontally and won't know where to focus for any receiver screens.

Pulling the defense in different directions will not only make the quarterback's job easier, but it will also offer Roman a greater margin for error with his play-calling.

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While no defense can ever ignore the potential for a screen to any outside receiver, the threat with some players is less than with others. Because both Watkins and Harvin can eat up space so quickly and be so effective after the catch, both would draw an emphasis to quick throws underneath.

Furthermore, with both of these receivers on the field, defenses will need to be cautious with how they blitz.

If the Bills can execute their hot reads, the space behind that would be afforded to these two could easily result in 20-plus-yard plays. With two receivers of their caliber on the field, the defense can't even shade their coverages to one side expecting the ball to go hot to that side.

Another layer for the defense to prepare for in the screen/short passing game will emanate from the backfield.

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McCoy has 300 receptions for 2,282 yards through his six years in the NFL. He averages 7.6 yards per reception and has scored 10 touchdowns, but even those statistics don't do his ability justice. With regularity, McCoy showed off his comfort at the catch point by adjusting to poor throws in Philadelphia.

Once he had corralled the ball, his explosiveness and elusiveness could be seen when he was immediately put in space.

For this triangle of unpredictability to work, the quarterback position will obviously need to be effective. But Harvin will also need to prove that he is a dangerous threat as a traditional receiver. There is no doubt that he has that talent, but he hasn't found opportunities to prove his consistency in recent years.

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Harvin has the strength and aggressiveness to get off press coverage when he lines up outside. However, most of his work should come from the slot in Buffalo because of the presence of Woods and Watkins. From the slot, Harvin is very difficult to deal with.

On this play, Harvin is the widest receiver to the right side, but he is tight to the formation.

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Harvin is facing off-man coverage against the safety. He closes the gap between himself and the safety before angling toward his inside shoulder. With outstanding speed and decisiveness, Harvin makes a hard plant with his left foot to draw the safety further infield.

Setting up your routes in the NFL is important, and Harvin understood how to set up his by staying disciplined on this play.

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Most wide receivers wouldn't be willing to make this move when running a crossing route. Yet, Harvin trusted in his speed to get around the safety quickly enough to keep the timing of his route. He worked his way through the safety aggressively with his upper body by using a swim move.

Once Harvin was past the safety, he collided with the linebacker who was drifting toward Harvin from the snap. The linebacker was drawn closer to Harvin when he made his initial decisive step.

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Russell Wilson is able to loft the ball into space for Harvin to run underneath it. Harvin had created a massive amount of separation against the safety so he had time to comfortably adjust at the catch point before continuing down the sideline for a huge gain.

These were the types of plays that Harvin hasn't had enough opportunities to make in recent times.

If the Bills are to get the most out of him, they will need to make greater use of his route running and ability at the catch point. Even though he is listed at just 5'11" and 184 pounds, Harvin is a strong and physical player with the fluidity and awareness to adjust at the catch point.

These are the traits that make Harvin unique. He offers all of the strengths of a running back and wide receiver without the weaknesses that are expected to come with them.

It's been a long time since Harvin played in an offense that could optimize his ability. Russell Wilson is the best quarterback he has played with recently, and Wilson was too hesitant throwing the ball last year while Harvin was primarily only used as a gadget option during his time in Seattle.

Unless Roman and Ryan are going to employ some mad-scientist type of formation that puts both Harvin and McCoy, or Harvin and Watkins, or Harvin, Watkins and McCoy in the backfield together, the Bills should be getting more of the wide receiver in Harvin than the running back.

There were definitely better situations for Harvin to produce big numbers, but the Bills have acquired the type of player that their offense desperately needed.

He may not be a 6'6" moving tower, but Harvin can alleviate the pressure on Cassel, EJ Manuel or Taylor in Buffalo.