Danielle Hunter Closing in on $$$ Sack Incentives, Jared Allen

Hunter is having one of the best seasons of his career under coordinator Brian Flores.

In a contract year, Vikings OLB Danielle Hunter is enjoying one of his greatest seasons to date. Hunter has 12 sacks in 11 games going into Monday night’s game against the Bears, which puts him on track to eclipse his career-high total of 14.5 (both 2018 and 2019).

Hunter had upper-body ailments that ended his season in 2020 and most of 2021. However, he returned the next season, playing all 18 games (including the playoffs), and finishing with 10.5 sacks and his third Pro Bowl selection. He has been accumulating sacks at a different level this season. He had two against Justin Fields and the Bears in their first encounter, and three against the Eagles in Week 2 and at least one in nine of Minnesota’s 11 contests.

Hunter, who turned 29 this past month, has stated that he feels like his best self again this year. Similar to numerous other Vikings defenders, he is flourishing under Brian Flores’ ultra-aggressive playmaking style.

Hunter was holding out until the start of training camp until he and the Vikings hammered out a revised one-year contract this offseason, skipping OTAs in the process. With $17 million guaranteed and an additional $3 million in incentives, it set him up for free agency at the end of the season.

A few weeks ago, against the Saints, Hunter recorded his 11th sack of the year and the first of three $1 million bonuses. With two more sacks in the final six games of the season, he will earn an additional $1 million at 12.5 and the final million at 14 sacks.

In addition to setting a season record, Hunter will move up to sixth place on the Vikings’ all-time sack chart if he records three more sacks this year, surpassing the legendary Jared Allen.