After a career-high 16.5-sack season in 2023, Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career.
Hunter’s contract is likely to be extended by the Vikings before he becomes free agent in March. The Vikings risk losing Hunter for nothing when they could have dealt him in November if they are unable to reach an agreement on a longer contract.
Days had passed since Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury that all but eliminated the Vikings’ hopes of winning the Super Bowl, leading to the November 1 trade deadline. At the trade deadline, Hunter attracted a lot of attention, and the Vikings received requests for a trade during the offseason.
If Hunter leaves Minnesota in March, SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad took issue with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for not moving to secure draft capital in a trade involving Hunter.
“You could have traded [Hunter] right before the deadline in a season where you bounced back after a rough start and then Kirk got hurt,” Zulgad wrote on X (previously Twitter) on February 2. “Yes, I believe it’s a serious issue if Danielle Hunter is left unemployed.”
Hunter, who was just 25 years old when he became the youngest player to record 50 career sacks, had a herniated disc in his neck, which caused him to miss the whole 2020 season.
His 2021 campaign came to an abrupt halt the next year when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. The Vikings refrained from making a long-term investment on the Pro Bowl edge rusher due to concerns about Hunter’s health.
For the previous two seasons, though, Hunter has participated in every game in an effort to allay any concerns about his health going forward. Hunter had a standout year, tying for first place in tackles for loss (23), and finishing sixth in sacks (16.5).
As he approaches his 30th birthday in 2024, Hunter intends to profit from one more substantial, extended contract. Hunter was expected to sign a three-year, $65 million contract with a $40 million guarantee, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). With an average yearly value of $21.67 million, that contract would place 10th among edge rushers before to 2024’s free agency.
PFF’s free-agent assessment states that “Hunter was a revelation in new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme, though he was just as productive in 2022.”
Hunter can likely be used productively by teams that operate a 3-4 or 4-3, and concerns about injuries from a few years ago look like a thing of the past. With more than 900 snaps, more than 70 quarterback pressures, and double-digit sacks, he concluded another season.
