According to Chad Graff, Vikings DE Danielle Hunter is still unhappy with his current deal and plans to explore all options, including potentially a trade request.
Hunter missed this past season after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc. He had expressed unhappiness through his agent with his contract, which still has three years remaining, at that time but Vikings GM Rick Spielman said recently Hunter had not requested a trade and downplayed the situation.
That surprised Hunter, according to Graff. He reports the star defensive end is still unhappy with his deal which pays dramatically less than what other elite pass rushers have signed in recent years.
Graff reports that Hunter is going to consider all of his options, including a holdout, a public trade request or potentially changing agents. However, Hunter pledged loyalty to his current representatives, per Graff.
Hunter’s absence would leave a huge hole on the Vikings’ defensive line, so this is a situation to keep an eye on going forward.
Hunter, 26, 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 includes $40 million guaranteed to go along with a $15 million signing bonus.
Hunter just finished the second year of his deal and was set to earn base salaries of $10,900,000 next season and $11,400,000 for the following three years.
In 2019, Hunter appeared in all 16 games and recorded 70 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
We’ll have more on Hunter as the news is available.
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Mr. Hunter, please be patient. If you request a trade you’re not going to get more money from another team. It is in your best interest to wait until the season is over until you get a better contract. Unless you’re too afraid to play because you know you’re still too injured to risk it? Put your ego aside for a minute and prove to everyone you’re worth every penny of what your mouth says. Unless you’re trying to pull a fast one you’ve got nothing to lose. Cry lime a baby after the season is over. You haven’t played in a year, that’s like buying a var without test driving it. That’s stupid!!!!!!!!!!
What a pos. He didn’t play all last season and now is crying because he signed a contract for a specific amount of yrs. Lol that’s like calling into work sick for a yr and asking for a raise. Without Zimmer he would be an average DE maybe.
Bye bye whiney greedy jerk