The Minnesota Vikings are at an impasse with Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Absent at mandatory minicamps last week, Hunter is seeking a contract extension that would significantly boost the $5.5 million in cash he is slated to earn in 2023, which ranks 56th among edge rushers.
Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters wrote on June 18 that the Vikings are willing to give Hunter a pay raise, however, they appear standoffish about committing to the 28-year-old long-term.
“Even the Vikings realize his current $5 million contract for 2023 is undervalued, and it appears the team is willing to give him a new deal, but for just one year rather than two or three years,” Walters wrote. “Hunter, who turns 29 in October, is worth at least $15 million on a one-year deal. But it’s a good bet he’s looking for a three-year contract in the $65 million range.”
Danielle Hunter Looking for Long-Term Contract From Vikings
GettyOutside linebacker Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to a game against the Indianapolis Colts in December 2022.
After missing 24 or 32 games in the past two seasons due to injury, Hunter showed he is still a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher last season, playing in all 17 regular-season games and tying for sixth in the league with 70 pressures.
Minnesota hopes to undergo a defensive rehaul under the direction of new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but Flores has his work cut out for him with the departure of six veteran starters, including pressure-leader Za’Darius Smith (78 pressures) and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (29 pressures).
Hunter, who turns 29 in October, still has a few more years left in his prime and is hoping to strike one more lucrative deal — hence the holdout from team activities this spring.
He has the leverage considering his departure would make him the third of the Vikings’ four top pass rushers to leave the team. Incoming veteran Marcus Davenport and D.J. Wonnum would be the starting duo if Hunter did decide to hold out into the season.
A Vikings defense without Hunter would struggle to improve upon its performance from the 2022 season even with Flores at the controls. Minnesota overcame its defensive deficiencies last season to the tune of 13 wins, however, that came with a historic 11-0 record in single-score games that is hard to replicate year-to-year.
The 2023 Vikings have a chance to be a dark horse contender in the NFC if Flores can mold a young defensive core to peak late in the season, but that effort will be even more of an uphill battle without Hunter.
Trade Proposals Unlikely to Land Vikings 1st-Round Pick for Danielle Hunter
Three years ago, Hunter wouldn’t have left Minnesota without garnering the Vikings at least a pair of first-round picks.
But as injuries and time have caught up to Hunter, his long-term value in the league has diminished significantly.
Bleacher Report put together six potential trade packages involving Hunter and none included a first-round pick.
The Vikings front office would find it hard to part ways with Hunter for anything less than a top 32 pick in the draft, but if Hunter refuses to play, they may be left with no choice — much like how the Cleveland Browns leveraged a trade for Smith.
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Vikings on the Fence Committing to Star Long-Term, Insider Says