The Danielle Hunter Countdown Is 3 Days
To invest in a man who missed 79% of all football games in the last two seasons or presume that stint of injury history is vanquished.
That is the question Minnesota Vikings new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must answer — by Sunday.
Danielle Hunter is at the center of the debate, a dominant EDGE rusher who rose to power inside Mike Zimmer’s defense after entry into the NFL from LSU in 2015. Before his bout with injuries, Hunter set the NFL record for most sacks by age 25 (48.0), even playing “part-time” in 2015 and 2016. He did not fully oust Brian Robison from the starting DE job until 2017.
Hunter’s on-the-field acumen is not debatable. He’s a tyrant — in the best way possible. But he’s only played seven games in two years, causing concern the new injury history will become a mainstay. Extending him is a gamble, one perhaps not embraced by Adofo-Mensah, who embraces player value above all else.
On Sunday, Hunter will be due $18 million as part of the contract he renegotiated last year. Plus, he carries a $26 million cap hit into 2022, a number that should be alleviated as the Vikings frantically search for cap space like the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers.
Minnesota holds the leverage with Hunter’s contract, but squeezing it too tight might alienate the player and his agent. So, Hunter and the Vikings must find middle ground, affording him a new contract in please-stay-healthy faith or by trading the 27-year-old.
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Hunter is in the absolute prime of his career. Age 27 and 28 are the sweet spot for dominant defenders. Rest assured. Outwardly, Minnesota would be foolish to cast off a beastly pass rusher like Hunter, especially when the other EDGE rushers on the current roster are underwhelming.
But, again, the Hunter debate is about value. What if Minnesota signs him to a mammoth deal akin to those inked by EDGE rushers like Von Miller and Randy Gregory this week and Hunter is injured again as was the case in 2020 and 2021? Tough feces? The situation is complicated.
The Vikings could command notable draft capital by trading Hunter, likely a late 1st-Rounder and a 5th-Rounder or so. Otherwise, the Khalil Mack trade from Chicago to Los Angeles is a reasonable indication of a Hunter trade package — a 2nd-Rounder and 6th-Rounder. However, several franchises have already signed “their guy” for rushing the passer this week in free agency. The demand for Hunter after the start of free agency wanes.
Regardless, Minnesota must decide the verdict within three days. Retain Hunter on a massive deal, letting him run wild in Ed Donatell’s new 3-4 defense — or trade him for assets.
You’ll know the outcome by Sunday.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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