Top Free Agent Fits For Vikings OLB Danielle Hunter

Sometimes when careers take a detour, they don’t get back on track. Vikings OLB Danielle Hunter had 29 sacks in a two-year span from 2018 to 2019 and looked like one of the NFL’s top edge rushers — and all before his 26th birthday. 

Then the next two years were rough. Hunter missed the entire 2020 season with a herniated disc in his back. The next year he tore a pec after just seven games. But Hunter rebounded. He’s played all 34 games over the past two seasons and has 27 sacks, including a career-high 16.5 in 2023. 

Even though he’ll turn 30 in October, Hunter has shown no signs of slowing down. If he hadn’t secured a no-tag clause when renegotiating his deal last offseason, the Vikings would probably have had to tag him even with all their other salary cap issues. High-end pass rushers like him rarely hit unrestricted free agency, and for that reason, he’ll have a strong market. 

If I were Hunter’s agent, putting at least $20 million a year on the table would be a pre-requisite for me to even pick up the phone. Through all the obstacles, Hunter kept betting on himself, and that put him in position to reap the rewards.

Hunter, 29, is a former third-round pick of the Vikings back in 2015. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $2.969 million rookie contract when Minnesota re-signed him to a five-year, $72 million extension that included $40 million guaranteed to go along with a $15 million signing bonus.

The two sides reworked his deal a few times to move money around. Hunter is in line to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

In 2023, Hunter appeared in all 17 games for the Vikings and recorded 83 tackles, 16.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two recoveries.

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 NFL Free Agents list.

Giants

Some of the pre-free agency steam around the Giants has pegged them as interested in landing an upgrade at edge rusher. Under new DC Shane Bowen, the defense will be less blitz-heavy than under former DC Wink Martindale, and that puts more pressure on the front to win with four. Giants DT Dexter Lawrence is a monster and former top-five OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux will get a chance to pin his ears back and show why a lot of people thought he could be the No. 1 pick. But they need more help up front. 

That’s where Hunter could come in. Not only is he the top edge rusher available but there’s a major connection with Giants DL coach Andre Patterson who coached Hunter for years and years in Minnesota. Patterson is one of the most respected position coaches in football and someone Hunter has cited as a mentor in the past, so that could help break some ties in the Giants’ favor. 

They’ll have to come hard with the money, though. The Giants have just under $30 million in effective cap space per Over The Cap, which is enough room to land a big fish like Hunter as long as Giants GM Joe Schoen is comfortable using most of his free agent budget on one player. New York does need a lot of help but they also need to show some improvement next season after how poor the 2023 season was. Going after a player like Hunter is a potential way to boost the job security for Schoen and HC Brian Daboll. 

Rams

You have to think last year’s disciplined roster-building approach that was the equivalent of brown rice and beans wore on the blockbuster-minded Rams. This year, the Rams have assets to play with yet again, with a first-round pick for the first time since 2016 and $25 million in effective cap space. I’m sure GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay are itching to do something. 

In the past couple of years, the Rams have closely monitored the market for pass rushers, eager to add a legit edge-rushing threat to complement DT Aaron Donald. They found some nice young complementary players who could grow into bigger roles in DT Kobie Turner and OLB Byron Young, but the Rams need another heavy-hitter. 

Hunter would certainly fit the bill. There aren’t any direct connections to Hunter on the coaching staff, but Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell was with the Rams before landing in Minnesota and could give the team the scoop on a player it seems likely will be priced out of the Vikings’ reach. 

Cardinals

Honestly you could make a case that the whole NFC West would be interested in Hunter, along with most of the league, but the Cardinals stick out for a few reasons. They have the most cap space of any of the four teams and are near the top of the NFL heading into free agency. Arizona needs a ton of work on defense and a massive infusion of talent. A few well-placed free agents along with another strong draft class could have the Cardinals contending sooner than expected. 

The Cardinals haven’t been able to find a reliable edge rusher since letting go of OLB Chandler Jones. Hunter is a similar player in a lot of ways with his length and athleticism, and he’s also a player the coaching staff is well-versed with. Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon was on staff in Minnesota with Hunter for a few years, as was DC Nick Rallis and OLB coach Rob Rodriguez.

Jaguars

It’d be a curious message for the Jaguars to go out and spend big money on Hunter while still negotiating a long-term deal with OLB Josh Allen who was franchise tagged this past week. Players don’t look kindly when outsiders skip the line for extensions. The Jaguars don’t have a ton of cap flexibility either and that would tie up a lot of resources in edge rusher — although that’s more justifiable since it’s a premium position and QB Trevor Lawrence remains on his rookie contract. 

I mainly have Jacksonville listed here because GM Trent Baalke has a clear type, and that’s long arms. Baalke is a big believer that length can be a major factor for players to have success, and Hunter measured in at the Combine with over 34-inch arms which was 77th percentile among edge rushers. It’s also worth noting the Jaguars were one of the teams reportedly interested in swinging a trade for Hunter last year when the Vikings explored his market, and now they have a chance at landing him without giving up a draft pick.