Andrew Buller-Russ
Yesterday word broke that the Minnesota Vikings were still open to trading Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter. That news didn’t get much time to circulate before general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah put an end to those possible trade discussions by reaching a new agreement with the 28-year-old sack artist.
According to Tom Pelissero, the Vikings gave Hunter a large raise late last night, agreeing to a new one-year, $17 million contract that is worth up to $20M. Hunter also received a no-tag clause, meaning he cannot be franchise tagged this offseason when he is set for free agency.
For Hunter, it keeps him happy for one more season, after previously being set to make $5.5 million in 2023. Now he’ll have the chance to nearly quadruple that amount if he reaches certain incentives. Meanwhile, the Vikings get to keep their top pass rusher for one more year. This is a big move for defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ defense as the Vikings look to improve a defensive unit that ranked 28th in points allowed last season.
Instead of forming a pass-rushing tandem with Za’Darius Smith, who is now in Cleveland, the Vikings added former first-round pick Marcus Davenport from New Orleans in free agency, who is also on a one-year contract. It’s a big year for both pass-rushers as they try and earn a bigger contract next offseason.
For the Vikings, they just need to find a way to generate more pressure, helping take more of the burden off their young secondary. They tallied just 38 sacks a season ago (21st in NFL), and Hunter had 10.5 of them himself. The hope is a blitz-heavy approach from Flores, using a combination of stunts and coverages, can help confuse the opposition, leading to more big plays defensively, but Hunter’s presence is a big part of that plan.
As Ian Rapoport indicates, teams were calling about Hunter, but the Vikings’ brass prioritized keeping one of their best defensive players in town. Now the focus turns to getting Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson under contract past this season, plus a long-term agreement for Justin Jefferson, which is likely to set a new record as the highest-paid receiver in the NFL.
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