The Minnesota Vikings have several priorities this offseason, but the pending free agency of Danielle Hunter could re-shape the team’s pass rush.
The Minnesota Vikings offseason has been dominated by the quarterback position so far, but as free agency approaches, the Vikings will have to make a big decision on Danielle Hunter.
Hunter is one of the biggest prizes in free agency this year, ranking as PFF’s No. 3 edge rusher and No. 12 overall player in their free-agent rankings for 2024. Coming off a career-high 16.5 sacks last season, Hunter thrived under defensive coordinator Brian Flores and could be looking to cash in on a new contract.
While the Vikings will be in the mix, there will be several teams interested in Hunter’s services and it could lead to a scenario where Hunter has played his last snap in Minnesota.
In this article, we’ll look at the Vikings’ chances of re-signing Hunter and some of the teams they could compete with when the free agency legal tampering window opens on March 11.
Team No. 1
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings will have the first opportunity to sign Hunter, but with Kirk Cousins also a pending free agent and Justin Jefferson reportedly wanting a long-term answer at quarterback before signing a contract extension, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported last week that contract talks with Hunter are “on hold” until Minnesota figures out what they’re doing at quarterback.
This has been a pattern since Hunter signed a five-year, $72 million contract extension with the Vikings before the 2018 season. While Hunter outperformed his contract as edge rushers started getting nine-figure contracts, there was always someone – whether it be Cousins, Anthony Barr, Adam Thielen, or another veteran – who was a higher priority.
The situation led to a series of short-term solutions on Hunter’s contract, but the Vikings never committed long-term. Hunter missed the entire 2020 season with a neck injury and nine games in 2021 with a torn pectoral muscle but regained his form to record 28 sacks over the past two seasons and now hits free agency for the first time in his career.
With other teams able to bid on his services, Hunter could be out of Minnesota’s price range as a top edge rusher on the market. But the Vikings also need plenty of help at edge rusher, with D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport set to become free agents and Patrick Jones III as the only edge rusher under contract heading into next year.
Hunter’s future may not be directly tied to Cousins, as the Vikings could kick enough money down the road to keep both players on the roster. But Minnesota could make a strong push to keep him around and give Hunter the big payday he’s been asking for.