Getty Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter on August 7, 2021.
The New York Jets have been rebuilding for the past couple of seasons and some fans are wondering when Joe Douglas will transition this roster from the developmental stage to the contender period.
At some point, the general manager will have to take a leap of faith and that could come via a blockbuster trade. Back in December, we reported on a “splashy” deal that was suggested for Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
On February 7, Hunter popped up again after a former Jets scout explained why New York should send a 2022 first-round pick to the Vikes for the accomplished pass rusher.
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‘You Do Not Walk, You Run’
Ex-scout Daniel Kelly had the latest offseason hot take in an article on Sports Illustrated’s Jets Country. He began:
There has been chatter that the Jets may be interested in trading their No. 10 pick in the first round. Could New York target Vikings’ star pass rusher Danielle Hunter? As an evaluator, I will say this, if you have a chance to go and get someone of Hunter’s caliber, you do not walk, you run.
Kelly went on to detail why Hunter is worth such a premium price tag — not to mention his substantial cap hit in 2022. The Jets wouldn’t take the full hit but the veteran edge rusher is still due a $6.3 million base salary over the next two years and a massive $18 million roster bonus this fall after signing a $72 million extension in 2018.
The move would also eliminate one of those top-10 selections that could provide a decade worth of production if you hit on it, to acquire a 27-year old coming off back-to-back injury-ridden campaigns. Hunter was an ironman before 2020 but recent history says those days are gone.
Kelly acknowledged the two major injuries but they did not discourage him. “If we were talking about some Joe Blow, it would be a hard pass, but that is not who we are talking about,” he wrote. “We are talking about a guy who bounced back like a ball from his herniated disc. When I watched Hunter in the first few games of 2021, I would not even know he had the injury unless someone told me. If anyone is on the fence about his injury background, watch the Arizona game last season. Hunter terrorized Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray for three sacks and he looked like he had not missed a beat.”
If only this was the lone concern attached to this trade.
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Risk vs. Reward
Kelly made it clear that he understands the risk but I’m not sure Douglas should mortgage the Jets’ entire future — that he worked so hard to sculpt — for a player that feels like a tremendous gamble.
The resume is impressive: Hunter has 60.5 sacks, 90 QB hits and 73 tackles for a loss in 85 NFL appearances. And yes, he’d be a magnificent fit across from Carl Lawson in Robert Saleh’s 4-3. The dream is always tantalizing but how often has that dream ever materialized for Gang Green?
Danielle Hunter doing Danielle Hunter things 💪
(via @NFL)
Even if the Vikings Pro Bowler stays healthy, he’s a free agent who would be entering his age-30 campaign in 2024. Unless the Jets work out an extension immediately, which would involve taking on more risk long-term, there’s no way of knowing if NYJ would get more than two years out of Hunter.
That begs another all-important question. Does Hunter’s window align with Douglas’?
For example, the pass rusher could have two stellar seasons in 2022 and ’23 but if the Jets aren’t ready to win a Super Bowl, would it matter? If Hunter left without a ring after the two-year rental, I’d just about guarantee most fans would answer no.
That puts extremely lofty expectations on the next couple of years and that’s if everything goes right with Hunter. If things go wrong, this could be the type of disaster that sets the Jets back another half-decade — especially if it got Douglas and Saleh fired.
I’m all for a blockbuster move but not when the risk is this detrimental. Hunter is an aging talent that is nearing the end of his prime football years and there are just too many question marks going in.
The famous Thanos line from “Avengers: Infinity War” comes to mind when discussing an enticing proposal like this. We traded for Hunter, fantastic. “What did it cost? — Everything.”
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