GM of the Vikings Issues a Notice If a $65 million star joins a new team
Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Daniel Hunter is set to become a free agent in 2023 after having his first career 16.5 sack season.
The Vikings will likely try to extend Hunter before he becomes a free agent in March. But if they can’t agree to an extension, the Vikings risk losing Hunter for nothing when they trade him in November.
The Nov. 1 trade deadline came just days after Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury that dealt a major blow to the Vikings’ Super Bowl chances. Hunter drew a lot of attention at the trade deadline, and the Vikings requested the trade this offseason.
SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad asked general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not to take steps to secure capital in a deal involving Hunter if he does indeed leave Minnesota in March. “In a season where we start off bad, then get healthy, then Kirk gets injured … we could have traded [Hunter] before the deadline,” Zulgad said in a Feb. 2 post on X (formerly Twitter ). “Yeah, I think Danielle Hunter is going to be in big trouble if she goes through anything.”
Daniel Hunter is preparing for a contract extension. Hunter, who was the youngest player to reach 50 career sacks at age 25, saw his career decline when he missed the 2020 season with a herniated disc in his neck.
His 2021 campaign ended abruptly the following year with a torn pectoral muscle. Concerns about Hunter’s health prevented the Vikings from making a long-term investment in a Pro Bowl tight end.
However, Hunter has played every game over the last two seasons to alleviate health issues. Hunter had an excellent year, ranking fifth on the team in sacks (16.5) and tied for first in tackles for loss (23).
When he turns 30 in 2024, Hunter is hoping for another lucrative long-term extension. Pro Football Focus (PFF) projects Hunter to sign a three-year, $65 million contract with $40 million guaranteed. The average annual value of this contract is $21.67 million, which ranks 10th among pitchers before free agency in 2024. “Hunter has been thrust into a starter role in new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ hot scheme, but he’s also been productive in 2022,” according to PFF’s free agency report.
“Teams with a 3-4 or 4-3 will likely find ways to use Hunter effectively, and the injury concerns of a few years ago will seem like a distant memory. He finished another season with over 900 tackles, over 70 quarterback pressures and double-digit sacks.
If the Vikings are separated from the hunters, they have little chance
The most impressive thing about Hunter’s 2023 season is that he managed to post career numbers without a Pro Bowl passer.
Hunter has benefited from playing alongside Everson Griffen and Za’Darius Smith during his career, but his partner Marcus Davenport has been injured for most of the season. Hunter has also proven to be a willing defender in systems that apply pressure from any angle.
If the Vikings decide to move on from Hunter, they will have to carefully consider the option of selecting Pat Jones II only among the first four players under contract for next season. Hunter expressed his desire to stay in Minnesota, but said he will find the best situation for him during the Pro Bowl season.
“Let everyone go his own way. I did my job. It’s all in the hands of my agent and my team and whoever that is.” Hunter told NFL.com on Feb. 2. “My job is to do my job, like I said before. If I can stay healthy and do my best, I’ll take it.”
