Getty General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings have something every team in the NFL wants — an All Pro-caliber edge-rusher in Danielle Hunter.
Minnesota hasn’t yet thrown in the towel on this season but a home loss this weekend to the San Francisco 49ers is all that stands between the Vikings and a 2-5 record with less than two weeks remaining before the trade deadline. If the franchise decides to start building for next season, Hunter will garner major interest.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday, October 18, suggested a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders for either a second- or third-round draft pick.
“Hunter is on a tear with eight sacks through six games and would have a strong market,” Fowler wrote. “With Minnesota in a competitive rebuild at 2-4, it’s worth wondering whether it would be willing to deal — though Hunter might be the team’s best healthy player right now. But the Vikings explored trade options with Hunter before he signed a one-year, $17 million bridge deal that includes $10 million in base salary, a tradeable bottom line for a player of his caliber.”
Day 2 Pick too Little Return for Vikings Edge Danielle Hunter
GettyMinnesota Vikings edge-rusher Danielle Hunter sacks Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields during an NFL game in October 2023.
Hunter’s trade value is diminished by two factors — that one-third of the season is already over and that he is bound for free agency in March.
That said, Hunter is leading the NFL with 8.0 sacks and 11 tackles for loss and won’t turn 30 until October 2024. The Vikings should be able to get more than just one Day 2 pick from the right team for a player of Hunter’s caliber.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN on October 12 suggested a trade with the Detroit Lions that would net the Vikings pass-rusher James Houston, a second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder to be paid if and when Hunter signs a new deal in Detroit.
If Minnesota works with Hunter on his choice of destination, and Hunter assures his new team that he will sign a contract extension when the time comes, then his value should trend upward. Multiple Day 2 picks and a young player with promise feels like where the Vikings should attempt to start the bidding once they find the appropriate trade partner.
Vikings Likely to Lose Danielle Hunter for Nothing if Trade Fails to Materialize
GettyOffensive lineman Luke Goedeke of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers battles against pass-rusher Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings during an NFL game in September 2023.
Vikings fans are often loathe to hear it, but Hunter probably isn’t coming back to Minnesota next year regardless. As such, trading him in the next couple of weeks makes considerable sense.
Hunter, a three-time Pro Bowler, is on the final year of his contract, which he renegotiated this offseason. The pay bump Minnesota offered Hunter came with a clause that guarantees the team won’t apply the franchise tag to the pass-rusher next offseason. That means if the Vikings want to keep Hunter, they’re going to have to pay up, not to mention bid against other teams.
If Minnesota wanted to spend big on a new contract for Hunter without the threat of competition, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could have done so over the summer. Instead, he chose to go a different route. That no extension talks are ongoing mid-season, even despite Hunter’s standout performance through six games, is another major red flag.
Losing Hunter is, without question, bad for the Vikings’ prospects in 2023. But if he isn’t coming back regardless, it’s the correct move for the franchise’s future.