The Deal on Danielle: Re-Exploring The Vikings’ EDGE1 Situation
By this point, a lot of Vikings fans have grown weary by the speculation and conjecture, rumor and theory. Danielle Hunter, a 3rd-round selection from the 2015 NFL Draft, has long been a force for good within Minnesota’s defense. Will that continue in 2023?
No one seems to know for sure, though there are educated guesses about how things will go for the Vikings’ EDGE1.
At PurplePTSD, there has been an earnest effort to address the situation. We’ve participated in the various discussions, highlighting ways he can have his deal adjusted, his holdout, and potential trade destinations. Rather than offer another onto the pile, let’s instead circle back to see if we can glean insight from what’s already been said.
Danielle Hunter, The Vikings’ EDGE1
Constraining ourselves to some of the post-draft material provides an (admittedly) arbitrary way of setting up some borders to our discussion.
In the middle of May, I penned a humble opinion piece titled “The Play Demands Pay: Extend EDGE1 Danielle Hunter.” The concluding thought: “Danielle Hunter, 28, has earned an extension. He’s getting closer to the end of his career but has proven to be very capable when he’s on the field. Rewarding him with a new deal is an approach that makes sense in the immediate as well as the longer-term.” So true.
Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network reported in June that Hunter was garnering trade interest around the league. We offered a piece discussing why a trade would be confusing: “Subtracting Hunter – a truly elite player – would be a confounding decision for the competitively-rebuilding GM. A simple look toward the future? Sure, trading a great (though a touch older) pass rusher makes some sense. Competing in the upcoming season? Well, that makes the situation a touch more complex.”
Amidst all the speculation, some may have forgotten just how great Hunter is. Josh Frey thus pens an article that responds to a PFF piece placing Hunter at 11th overall in the NFL for edge rushers. Frey’s analysis: “While the injuries may still be in the back of people’s minds heading into 2023, the reality is this: Hunter is a 28-year-old pass rusher with boatloads of talent and years of great football ahead of him. He should absolutely be considered one of the best EDGE rushers in the league.”
Once the minicamp holdout was confirmed, Frey offered a piece covering that news. Not too long afterwards, he put together a consideration of five teams that could plausibly be interested in onboarding the talented defender. There are even follow-ups discussing theories about a deal with Chicago and then a deal involving Minnesota getting a young QB for Hunter.
Finally, there has been a consideration of the various paths that are in front of Minnesota. The team could opt to wait him out, trade him, or adjust his deal somehow. Vikings fans, for their part, are uncertain about the best thing to do.
A final thought: the danger with trading Danielle Hunter is that as soon as he leaves, the team will begin looking for someone just like Danielle Hunter. Every single NFL team wants to have an insanely talented edge rusher who creates matchup problems on a weekly basis. Lacking that player puts a team’s defense at a serious disadvantage.
Hunter, 28, will make $5.5 million in real money in 2023 if his deal doesn’t get adjusted. He led the team last year with 10.5 sacks. Training camp begins on July 23rd; the veterans arrive on July 25th.
Prediction: Danielle Hunter doesn’t arrive at the beginning of training camp. Before the regular season arrives, though, the Vikings and Hunter agree to a new deal. He’ll lock-in a hearty raise for 2023 and become a free agent after the season, allowing the market to set his price. In a perfect world, he then sticks around Minnesota.
Good News for the Vikings