Getty Michael Pierce #58 of the Minnesota Vikings sacks Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paul Brown Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings have some difficult decisions to make this offseason, including what to do with some coveted talent along their defensive line.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report suggested last week that Vikings nose tackle Michael Pierce is a top trade target for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, a team in need of help beefing up their interior defense.
“Pierce would give the [Cowboys’] front a pure nose tackle,” Ballentine wrote. “The 6’0″ 340-pounder would solidify the front while bringing some leadership to a young group of players.”
The pairing of Minnesota and Dallas as trade partners around a deal for Pierce also makes sense for the Vikings as a way to get off some money and address salary cap concerns facing the franchise this offseason.
“The Vikings have an incentive to trade the 29-year-old as well. They are $14 million over the cap and shipping him off would save them a little over $6 million,” Ballentine wrote. “He had a career-high 3 sacks and posted a 78.5 grade from [Pro Football Focus], despite missing nine games this season with an injury.”
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Vikings Defensive End Danielle Hunter Also in NFL Trade Rumors
GettyDanielle Hunter, of the Minnesota Vikings, celebrates during the second half against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Detroit Lions 19-17. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Pierce is not the only Vikings defensive lineman whose name has been common in NFL trade speculation over the last several weeks. Defensive end Danielle Hunter, 27, could also find himself on the move.
Hunter’s contract represents a cap hit of more than $26 million next season, per Spotrac. Possible trade partners for Hunter include the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets and the Houston Texans, among others.
However, Heavy’s Trevor Squire contended earlier this week that the Vikings are not as eager to move on from Hunter as the trade speculators assume. And even if Minnesota is interested in parting with the edge rusher, it might not be as easy to get a deal done as the speculation makes it seem.
Hunter is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, earning the honor in 2018 and 2019. He racked up 29 combined sacks across those two seasons, per Pro Football Reference, but Hunter has struggled to stay on the field since. He missed all of 2020 with a herniated disc in his neck that required surgery, then started and played in just 7 of 17 games for the Vikings last season after suffering a torn pectoral.
Hunter’s recent and serious history of health concerns is likely to deflate the defensive end’s trade value to a meaningful degree. His hefty cap hit next season — the seventh-highest among all edge rushers in the NFL, per Over The Cap — argues even more against the Vikings’ ability to negotiate a strong return for his services. That is, at least, until Hunter proves he can stay on the field with regularity.
Biggest Offseason Question For Vikings Remains Future of QB Kirk Cousins
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could be traded this offseason.
One of the first, and almost certainly the biggest, of the dominoes to fall in Minneapolis this offseason will be controversial quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Vikings face a tough decision with Cousins, who was one of the top performing statistical signal callers last season, per Pro Football Focus. However, he has also failed to lead Minnesota to a winning campaign in either of the previous two years.
Trade rumors have aggressively circled Cousins for months, but at least one NFL franchise has now officially reached out to the Vikings to inquire about the QB’s availability. Judd Zulgad, of SKOR North, said on the Monday, February 21 edition of the Purple Daily podcast that the Carolina Panthers are actively pursuing a deal for Cousins.
Should Minnesota decide to move on from the quarterback, the team’s entire financial picture will change drastically. The Vikings currently need to shed between $14.75 million and $16 million in salary before the start of next season. Cousins’ deal represents a cap hit of $45 million for the 2022 season, after which he will become a free agent.
The quarterback’s NFL contract history means Minnesota will not be able to keep him around via the franchise tag. But letting Cousins play out the season without an extension would afford him tremendous leverage in offseason negotiations next year, assuming he performs similarly and avoids serious injury.
As such, the Vikings must either ink Cousins to what would likely be a pricey multi-year extension or trade him before next season begins. If Cousins does go, Minnesota will find itself well under the salary cap and looking to acquire talent rather than part with it.