For the first time in his career, Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter is poised to reach free agency after a career-high 16.5-sack season in 2023.

The Vikings will likely work to extend Hunter before he reaches free agency in March. But if they cannot agree on an extension, the Vikings face losing Hunter for nothing when they could have traded him in November.

The November 1 trade deadline came just days after Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury that realistically plummeted the Vikings’ chances at a Super Bowl. Hunter generated plenty of interest at the trade deadline, and the Vikings fielded calls for a trade in the offseason.

SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad took issue with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not making a move to secure draft capital in a trade involving Hunter if he does indeed leave Minnesota in March.

“In a season where you got off to a bad start, rebounded, and then Kirk got hurt… you could have traded [Hunter] right before the deadline,” Zulgad said in a February 2 post on X (formerly Twitter). “Yeah, I think it’s a big problem if Danielle Hunter walks for nothing.”

How would your view of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah change if Danielle Hunter signs with another team this offseason? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BJVvIm7Pcq

— SKOR North – Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) February 2, 2024

How would your view of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah change if Danielle Hunter signs with another team this offseason? 🤔

Danielle Hunter Poised to Land Lucrative Contract Extension

Once the youngest player to reach 50 career sacks at the tender age of 25, Hunter saw his career hit a tailspin when he suffered a herniated disc in his neck that forced him to miss the entirety of the 2020 season.

His 2021 campaign ended abruptly when he sustained a torn pectoral muscle the following year. The concern around Hunter’s health kept the Vikings from investing long-term in the Pro Bowl edge rusher.

However, Hunter has played every game the past two seasons to quell any questions surrounding his health in the future. Hunter had a hallmark year, ranking fifth in sacks (16.5) and tying for first in tackles for loss (23).

Approaching his 30th birthday in 2024, Hunter hopes to cash in on one more lucrative, long-term extension. Pro Football Focus (PFF) projected Hunter to garner a three-year, $65 million deal with $40 million guaranteed. The $21.67 million average annual value of that contract would rank 10th among edge rushers ahead of 2024 free agency.

“Hunter was a revelation in new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme, though he was just as productive in 2022,” PFF’s free-agent report reads.

“Teams that run a 3-4 or 4-3 could probably find a way to effectively deploy Hunter, and injury concerns of a few years ago seem like distant memories. He finished another season with 900-plus snaps, 70-plus quarterback pressures and double-digit sacks.”

Vikings Are Low on Options If They Part Ways With Hunter

What is most impressive about Hunter’s 2023 season was the fact he managed to put up career numbers without a Pro Bowl pass rusher alongside him.

Hunter has benefited from playing opposite Everson Griffen and Za’Darius Smith in his career, but this season’s running mate, Marcus Davenport, was injured for most of the season.

Hunter also proved he’s a willing run defender as well in a system that schemed pressure from every possible angle.

If the Vikings decide to move on from Hunter, they’ll need to seriously consider their options with just one of their top four edge rushers, Pat Jones II, under contract for next season.

Hunter has expressed his desire to stay in Minnesota, however, he said at the Pro Bowl that he is looking for the best situation for himself.

“Just letting everything play its course. I did my job. Everything’s in my agent’s hands and my team — and whomever it is that’s out there,” Hunter told NFL.com on February 2. “My job, like I said, is to do my job. And I’m gonna make sure I stay in shape and whatever is best available for me, I’ll take that.”