Making the Case for a Danielle Hunter Extension in 2023
Josh Frey
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Throughout the 2023 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings will have to make a number of difficult decisions. Whether that be cutting beloved players, offering extensions to others, or just finding free agents and draft prospects to replace said players, it should be a very busy couple of months for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Minnesota’s front office. One such player that will undoubtedly be discussed is Danielle Hunter.
After the past two seasons were derailed by injuries, the pass rusher bounced back to have a solid season in 2022. Today, we are going to make the case for a Danielle Hunter extension this spring.
The Numbers
Currently, Danielle Hunter is slated to carry a cap hit of $13,120,000 in 2023 (per Over the Cap). That is the seventh-highest number on the Vikings roster heading into the offseason, but if Minnesota makes moves regarding players like Dalvin Cook, Kirk Cousins, Za’Darius Smith, and Adam Thielen, that could move to a much higher placement relatively soon.
Again, per Over the Cap, Minnesota can free up over $3 million in cap space for this offseason by offering an extension. This would also lock him up long-term going into his early 30s. Granted, $3 million may not seem like a lot, but when the team is $24+ million in the hole like the Vikings are,
Quiet Yet Productive in 2022
Hunter certainly did not jump off the screen during 2022, but he quietly put together a productive season this past year. He played every game for the Vikings this season, eliminating questions about his health, which is extremely important in this discussion.
Statistically, Hunter certainly took a step back from his 2019 season where he was fifth in DPOY voting, but 10.5 sacks, 12 TFLs, and 22 QB hits is nothing to scoff at. In fact, the 22 QB hits were equal to the number he put up in 2019.
Considering that the Vikings very well could move on from Za’Darius Smith this season, it makes sense that they’d want to keep around at least one of their starting pass rushers from this past season. Locking Hunter up for a few more years gives them a stalwart pass rusher as they rebuild their defense.
Hunter Is Still Young
As aforementioned, it isn’t like Hunter is a dinosaur, either. He just turned 28 years old on October 29th. He will play half the 2023 season at 28, and even with an extension, his contract won’t extend into his mid-30s at all.
Being that he is one of the very few defensive starters on the right side of 30, it’s logical for the Vikings to keep him around as a veteran for their new group. He can help players like Patrick Jones II continue to progress, and perhaps, we could see that duo being the new starting tandem next season.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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