Vikings Trading DE Danielle Hunter; Should Seahawks Pursue?
The Minnesota Vikings have spent the offseason offloading many of their star players, many of whom were on big contracts. Names like receiver Adam Thielen and, most recently, running back Dalvin Cook were cut by the Vikings this offseason as they look ready for a rebuild.
Minnesota's roster tear-down may not stop with Cook, as a recent report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed the Vikings' interest in trading away veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
The reason for a potential trade is due to Hunter's expiring contract, as he plans on holding out on the Vikings' minicamp.
With the Vikings' potential unwillingness to sign the 28-year-old edge rusher to a new deal, could the Seattle Seahawks - despite their clear approach to strength their d-line - make sense as a trade candidate?
Beefing up their defensive line was a part of the Seahawks' offseason plan as they continue their transition to defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt's 3-4 defense, which just so happens to be the same scheme Hunter played last season under Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell.
While many can argue about Seattle's execution of their plan to improve upfront defensively, it looks like they could use a player like Hunter, despite that their recent additions of both vets and young guns have the defense trending up.
The Seahawks using two premium picks on edge rushers in recent years, landing them Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, and Derick Hall all with second-round selections, it is hard to justify that the problem is solved off the edge.
Hunter is coming off his best season since 2019, as he totaled 65 tackles, 12 for a loss, 10—sacks, and 22 quarterback hits after back-to-back injury-ridden seasons. What makes a potential deal all the more enticing for the Seahawks is that he proved he could succeed when converting from a traditional defensive end into a hybrid outside linebacker/edge rusher for the Vikings in 2023.
As for what it would take for the Seahawks to acquire him, trade projections from Bleacher Report have teams sending a second-round pick with a fourth or fifth-rounder. With Hunter set to make over $4 million in 2023, he fits in with Seattle cap-wise, seeing as they have over $7 million space according to OverTheCap's projections.
By acquiring Hunter, the Seahawks would gain a veteran edge rusher with proven production who could further act as a mentor to the young players behind him while potentially bolstering one of the league's budding defenses.
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