The Danielle Hunter Contract Is a Temporary Solution to a Long-Term Vikings Problem
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings had some major roster turnover during the 2023 offseason, parting ways with a number of veteran players.
One such veteran who departed the team this spring was EDGE rusher Za’Darius Smith, who the Vikings traded to the Cleveland Browns. For a while, it seemed like the Vikings may be parting ways with another veteran edge rusher after Danielle Hunter opted to hold in for the early portion of training camp. However, Hunter is now back after signing a new one-year contract worth $20 million.
While Hunter’s return to the team this year is terrific news for the Vikings, his future with the franchise remains rather uncertain, and thus, the contract may prove to be a temporary solution to a long-term problem for the team.
What does this mean?
Well, not only did the 28-year-old not get a long-term extension with the team, but he also got a no-tag clause, meaning he is guaranteed to hit unrectricted free agency next spring if an extension cannot be worked out before next March. With a strong campaign in 2023, and the market for top edge rushers in today’s NFL, Hunter’s demands will likely rise well past $20 million for the coming seasons.
Marcus Davenport — one of Minnesota’s more notable free agent signings — only garnered a one-year contract with the team as well. He will make $13 million this season before hitting free agency next spring.
With both Davenport and Hunter entering contract years once again, that leaves very little talent at EDGE under team control for the future. Keep in mind, 2020 fourth-round pick D.J. Wonnum is also set to have his contract expire at the end of the 2023 season.
Currently, the Vikings have three edge rushers under contract through the 2024 season:
- Andre Carter (2023 UDFA)
- Patrick Jones (2021 third-round pick)
- Luiji Vilain (2022 UDFA)
Spoiler alert, this is not nearly enough talent to fill a position as important in today’s NFL as EDGE. Not only that, but it feels like the Vikings will need to make a big splash at the position, whether it be through a contract for a player or a top-end draft pick. It seems a bit unreasonable to expect a pair of UDFAs and a Day 2 pick to be the biggest contributors on an NFL team.
Of course, either Davenport or Hunter could also get extensions with the Vikings in the next few months. However, that would likely eat up much of Minnesota’s $54 million in cap space for next season, a budget that does not yet include a starting QB as Kirk Cousins is set to hit free agency. It doesn’t seem feasible to keep both players around, either, especially if they both perform well this upcoming season.
Overall, the Vikings found a way to dodge too many massive changes at EDGE this offseason, but they have a few big decisions looming that could alter the franchise moving forward.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.