Getty Danielle Hunter #99 of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota Vikings free agent edge rusher Danielle Hunter is signing with his hometown Houston Texans, landing a two-year, $49 million contract, including $48 million in total guarantees, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on March 12.
His new teammates seemed pleased with the four-time Pro Bowler, namely left guard Tytus Howard, who gave a four-word assessment of the team’s new-look front seven.
“Our DLine is crazyyyyyy,” Howard posted on X, formerly Twitter, on March 12.
Our DLine is crazyyyyyy
Hunter, 29, wrapped a one-year, $17 million contract this past season.
He leaves behind a $14.9 million dead cap hit. With Kirk Cousins’ departure to the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings are on the hook for $43.4 million for two players on other teams in 2024.
Hunter set career highs with 16.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2023. It was his second straight double-digit sack season and fourth in the last five seasons. The outlier was the 2021 season when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 8 of that season.
The 6-foot-5 former third-round pick (No. 88 overall in 2015) exits sixth on the Vikings’ all-time sack leaderboard with 87.5 career quarterback takedowns, per Pro Football Reference.
Come Home Hunter 🤘🏻
Hunter was open about potentially leaving after eight seasons with the team that drafted him.
“I did my job. Everything’s in my agent’s hands and my team — and whomever it is that’s out there,” Hunter said, per NFL.com’s Grant Gordon on February 2. “My job, like I said, is to do my job. And I’m gonna make sure I stay in shape and whatever is best available for me, I’ll take that.”
Former Vikings EDGE Danielle Hunter Gets ‘Kirk Cousins’ Contract From Texans
GettyKirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons.
With $35.6 million in cap space, per Spotrac, the Vikings could have retained Hunter and even lowered his cap hit with an extension. The delay in determining Cousins’ future put their other business on hold.
It would have been difficult to beat the Texans’ offer and fill other needs.
“Danielle Hunter is headed home,” Rapoport said on “NFL Total Access” on March 12. “He agrees to terms with the Houston Texans, his hometown team. Gets a two-year deal, $49 million. $48 million fully guaranteed, so like 98% fully guaranteed. It’s a lot of fully guaranteed money. It’s like the Kirk Cousins deal of pass rushers.”
Cousins agreed to terms on a four-year, $180 million contract, with $100 million guaranteed.
With $231.7 million in career earnings, he has become known for maximizing his value on the free agent market.
Hunter’s contract ranks seventh in terms of average annual value, and his practical guarantees rank 12th.
And he may have left some meat on the bone with a chance to go back on the market in 2026.
“This one took a minute,” Rapoport said. “There was certainly some other teams interested – some teams very interested. He actually took less to go to the Houston Texans.”
Insider: D.J. Wonnum Visiting Bears
GettyD.J. Wonnum #98 of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Free agent pass rusher D.J. Wonnum headed to Carolina on Wednesday to meet with the #Panthers, then to Chicago with the #Bears on Thursday, per source,” ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported on X on March 12. “Wonnum an intriguing option after eight sacks with the Vikings.”
The Vikings agreed to terms with former Texans pass rusher Jonathan Greenard on a four-year, $76 million contract. And Andrew Van Ginkel comes over from the Miami Dolphins on a two-year, $20 million pact.
Greenard had a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2023, while Van Ginkel also set a personal best with 6.0 sacks.
So the pass rush may not fall off a cliff.
Still, with Marcus Davenport signing a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions and leaving a $6.8 million dead cap hit for the Vikings, Wonnum to Chicago would mean the Vikings have to face all three of their former top pass rushers next season.