Danielle

Hunter

The Texans essentially swap edge rushers with the Vikings, adding the veteran Hunter after reportedly losing Jonathan Greenard to Minnesota. One of the top edge rushers on the market, Hunter totaled 16.5 sacks for the Vikings in 2023. The former third round pick will spend his first career snaps outside of Minnesota in 2024, lining up opposite of Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson. It’s a reported two-year deal worth $49 million with a max value of $51 million.

This doesn’t mean a deal with Hunter won’t get done before free agency opens up, but with the team also attempting to re-sign Kirk Cousins and extend Justin Jefferson, it’s possible Hunter at least makes it to the open market. Jeremy Fowler added that teams are expecting Hunter to seek a deal that pays “well north of $20 million per year,” which would make him amongst the highest paid EDGE rushers i the league. Hunter tallied a career-high 16.5 sacks with the Vikings last season and has totaled 87.5 sacks through his first eight seasons in the league. Hunter will be 29 at the start of next season, and should have no trouble fetching a lucrative deal should he and the Vikings not come to terms on a contract in the coming weeks.

Hunter has been the subject of trade rumors for years, but the Vikings have always worked things out with their star pass-rusher. That includes giving him a one-year, $20 million contract that features a no-tag clause this offseason. Hunter leads the NFL with eight sacks but his team sits at 2-4. With Minnesota’s season circling the drain, it would be smart for them to get something for Hunter instead of holding onto him for a lost season.

Hunter’s contract includes $17 million in guaranteed money, a no-tag clause, and ultimately ends his brief hold-in with the team. Dating back to 2022, Hunter and the Vikings have gone back and forth in contract negotiations, which led to Hunter being the subject of trade rumors earlier this offseason. Since entering the league in 2015, Hunter has totaled 71 sacks, 85 TFLs, and three Pro Bowls. The no-tag clause gives the veteran pass rusher a chance to earn a significant payday in 2024 — either from the Vikings or via free agency.

Hunter skipped the Vikings’ mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason after being the subject of trade rumors earlier. The veteran pass rusher is also in search of a new extension, which he’s been hoping to secure dating back to last year. Hunter totaled 10.5 sacks and 12 TFLs for the Vikings in 2022 and was named to his third Pro Bowl. Because he reported to training camp, Hunter can’t be fined, but there are multiple ways he can stay off the field while he and the team figure out what to do next.

Hunter has been the subject of trade rumors for the last two offseasons. The veteran pass rusher was in search of a contract extension last offseason but ultimately played on his deal. Now in the final year of his contract, Hunter, who totaled 10.5 sacks and 12 TFLS last season, is still in search of a new deal. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last week that teams have already begun contacting the Vikings about a potential trade for Hunter, but little has materialized since then. Set to earn just $5.5 million this season, Hunter is more than deserving of a new deal, whether it’s from the Vikings or another team.

The trade rumors started last offseason when the Vikings were looking for cap space and Hunter was seeking a contract extension. He ultimately stayed in Minnesota, but that didn’t stop the rumor mill from firing up again this offseason. Per Rapoport, Hunter is only set to make $5.5 million this year, making a trade for him feasible even for teams tight on cap space. Hunter appeared in all 17 games last year and totaled 10.5 sacks plus 12 TFLs. He missed the majority of the 2021 season but tallied 14.5 sacks in each of the previous two years.

It was a routine conversion of Hunter’s $18M roster bonus into a signing bonus. Teams often have this option written into contracts, allowing them to do it automatically. The move cleared $13.5 million in cap space for 2022, giving them extra room to sign Za’Darius Smith. The combo of Smith and Hunter is costly for the Vikings but fear-inducing for opposing quarterbacks.

The Vikings had explored trading Hunter this offseason, but it appears they weren’t too fond of any of the offers. Hunter has appeared in just seven games over the past two seasons, missing most of 2021 with a torn pectoral. Hunter’s $28 million cap hit could still be lowered with a re-negotiation, but that would push more of the cap hit into the final year of his contract in 2023. This would seem to lock Hunter into the Vikings plans for 2022.

Hunter is due an $18 million roster bonus next Sunday, and Fowler reports multiple executives across the league believe the Vikings would be willing to deal the 27-year-old. One of the best pass-rushers in the sport 2016-2019, Hunter accumulated 48.5 sacks in those four seasons before missing all of 2020 with a neck injury and then tearing his pec in Week 8 of last year. Hunter is scheduled to carry a $26.1 million cap number in 2022. Trading him would free up over $14 million for the Vikings.