For the first time in his career, Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter is poised to reach free agency after a career-high 16.5-sack season in 2023.
The Vikings will likely work to extend Hunter before he reaches free agency in March. But if they cannot agree on an extension, the Vikings face losing Hunter for nothing when they could have traded him in November.
The November 1 trade deadline came just days after Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury that realistically plummeted the Vikings’ chances at a Super Bowl. Hunter generated plenty of interest at the trade deadline, and the Vikings fielded calls for a trade in the offseason.
SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad took issue with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not making a move to secure draft capital in a trade involving Hunter if he does indeed leave Minnesota in March.
“In a season where you got off to a bad start, rebounded, and then Kirk got hurt… you could have traded [Hunter] right before the deadline,” Zulgad said in a February 2 post on X (formerly Twitter). “Yeah, I think it’s a big problem if Danielle Hunter walks for nothing.”
His 2021 campaign ended abruptly when he sustained a torn pectoral muscle the following year. The concern around Hunter’s health kept the Vikings from investing long-term in the Pro Bowl edge rusher.
However, Hunter has played every game the past two seasons to quell any questions surrounding his health in the future. Hunter had a hallmark year, ranking fifth in sacks (16.5) and tying for first in tackles for loss (23).
