The reasons that the Minnesota Vikings traded their most dynamic wide receiver to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday stretched from attitude concerns to salary-cap considerations.
However, the final straw was simple: Percy Harvin showed no faith in quarterback Christian Ponder.
Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole, citing two unnamed sources, reported on Monday that Harvin's constant lamenting that Ponder was not good enough was too much for the Vikings to handle.
It is clear the Vikings will do whatever it takes to buoy Ponder's confidence, even jettisoning his best target.
They are doubling down on that investment.
Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter agreed that the organization is "better off" without Harvin.
"I'm not surprised, given the situation with him not being happy and there being so little chance of a contract extension for the type of money he wants," Carter said Monday, via The Star Tribune. "So they're better off, especially with a young quarterback, trading Percy and getting something for him compared to going through the season rolling the dice."
The Vikings didn't lose momentum when Harvin went down with an ankle injury with seven games remaining in the 2012 season. Instead, they rode Adrian Peterson (who felt abused by the trade) to the playoffs.
The move might have been made to rid the locker room of Ponder's biggest detractor, but it also took away his only receiving threat. Ponder's development with new receivers will be the main indicator of the success or ultimate failure of the trade.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
