3 players the Minnesota Vikings could trade during the 2023 NFL Draft

Danielle Hunter

It was just a few years ago that Hunter was a cornerstone of the Vikings’ defense, but over the past couple of years, Hunter’s play has generated more questions than answers.

Hunter posted back-to-back seasons with 13.5 sacks in 2018 and 2019 but missed the entire 2020 season with a herniated disc in his neck. Hunter came back to record six sacks in eight games for the Vikings before tearing his pectoral muscle in 2021 and was miscast in Ed Donatell’s defense last season.

Hunter’s production and ability suggest it’s a wise idea to keep him around but his time with the Vikings has been more centered around the five-year, $72 million contract he signed prior to the 2018 season than his play on the field.

With edge rushers getting paid in excess of $100 million, Hunter believes that it’s time to get the bag but at age-28, the Vikings may decide they want to keep cap space for 2024 and find a younger, cheaper replacement.

It’s unclear what Hunter’s trade value could be but perhaps last year’s trade that sent Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers could be a starting point. If the Vikings can get a haul similar to the second and sixth-round picks the Chicago Bears got in that deal, it might get it done. This could be especially attractive considering the Vikings don’t have a second-round pick after trading for T.J. Hockenson last October.

Out of the three players on this list, Hunter seems like the least likely to be traded. But with the Minnesota Vikings keeping an eye on the future, it will be interesting to see if Hunter fits into their plans.