The Danielle Hunter Deadlock May Have Just Gotten Easier to Navigate
K. Joudry
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The Danielle Hunter deadlock continues to linger as training camp gets closer.
So far, the team and player have been unable to reach a compromise that would make each side happy (or unhappy, as some compromises go). Everyone can see that #99 needs more than just the $5.5 million in real cash he’ll earn in 2023, but the precise nature of the raise has been stubbornly elusive.
Does another deal for one of the NFL’s best pass rushers help? Well, it just might.
Over at The Athletic, Mark Kaboly and Larry Holder relay the news that EDGE Alex Highsmith has agreed to a 5-year, $70 million deal. Crucially, the “deal includes $28 million guaranteed over the first three years.” How does that help us understand what’s going on with Hunter?
The Danielle Hunter Deadlock
Unlike Dustin Baker at Vikings Territory, I see the Highsmith deal as one that’s helpful for all parties. The Vikings, Hunter, and even those on the outside looking in (media, fans) now have another data point to help make sense of the situation.
Similar to Minnesota’s stud edge rusher, Highsmith was a 3rd-round pick. The Steelers defender was selected 102nd overall in 2020, the same slot that was used on Mekhi Blackmon in the most recent draft.
After a trio of seasons in the NFL, Highsmith has proven to be super durable. He has played in 16, 16, and 17 games. Obviously, that gives him an edge over Hunter since there’s a recent history with better health. Now toss in the fact that Highsmith will turn 26 in a few days. Meanwhile, Hunter is getting pretty close to his 30s — he’ll turn 29 in October — an age that’s not as frightening for edge rushers as it is for, say, running backs.
Even still, youth and health do favor the Pittsburgh player.
Last year, Highsmith had 14.5 sacks, a number that will jump out to a lot of Vikings fans. Hunter put together consecutive seasons of 14.5 sacks from 2018-19, a feat that most refer to as the time when it became indisputable that Hunter was among the NFL’s best edge rushers.
Per the previously mentioned piece from The Athletic, Highsmith struggled to produce without T.J. Watt in the lineup (the EDGE1 for the Steelers): “Highsmith is coming off the best season of his career. But he did that mostly with T.J. Watt in the lineup, managing just three of his 14 1/2 sacks in the seven games without him.”
Hunter suffers from no such limitations. He can produce quality numbers regardless of who is alongside him (though he’d certainly benefit from a running mate who can pile up similarly gaudy stats).
The end result may be a Danielle contract that comes in between what Alex Highsmith received and the deals at the very top of the market (T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, etc.). Could a single season with a guaranteed $18-$20 million be enough? Hunter could then enter free agency in 2024 with more money in his account and a shot at signing a large, multi-year deal (potentially with the Vikings).
In front of a microphone, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell continue to insist that the goal is to compete in 2023. Doing so without Danielle Hunter would be very challenging, especially after the departure of Za’Darius Smith. It’s safe to assume that Brian Flores would have a much easier job if he could lean on Hunter to help resurrect the Vikings’ defense.
Training camp arrives on July 23rd when the rookies get into Eagan. On July 25th, the veterans are scheduled to arrive. In a perfect world, the Vikings and Hunter will settle their differences before then, allowing the team to fully prepare for what looks to be a challenging season.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
