5 players a new Vikings regime could get rid of in 2022

Danielle Hunter, defensive end

The most talked-about player on the Minnesota Vikings roster heading into the 2022 NFL season is Kirk Cousins. However, the bigger decision that the new staff will need to make may have to do with their star pass rusher.

Danielle Hunter is an absolute monster when healthy. He can beat most offensive tackles one-on-one and is one of the best at getting to opposing quarterbacks in the league. However, several questions will put his status in jeopardy.

Hunter has a nearly $26M cap hit for 2022 if he stays on the roster. Releasing him would incur a dead cap penalty of approximately $7.5M if released before he is eligible for his roster bonus on March 20.

Considering the salary cap situation for the Vikings, the new regime will need to decide if they want to attempt to trade Danielle Hunter, release him, or hope he can stay healthy and play him big bucks. This could be the hardest decision made this offseason.