Danielle Hunter is Holding In at Vikings Camp...and Following the Jaguars?
Danielle Hunter reported to Vikings training camp on Tuesday. He's in the building for the first time since last season ended; he skipped OTAs and mandatory minicamp earlier this year. However, he's not expected to participate in practice until his contract dispute gets resolved one way or another.
It's a hold in, not a hold out, which means Hunter won't be subject to fines but also won't be out on the practice field with his teammates.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday to kick off camp, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, as expected, didn't have much in the way of substantive updates on Hunter's situation.
"There's a lot of things we're trying to work through with Danielle," Adofo-Mensah said. "Those conversations are ongoing."
When asked if he feels confident Hunter will be part of the team this year, Adofo-Mensah simply said he's excited to see him.
As a reminder, Hunter is dissatisfied with his contract because he's set to make up to just $5.5 million this year due to money being accelerated last offseason. This is the last year of the five-year extension he signed back in 2018 and then immediately out-performed, leading to all kinds of contract drama over the past few years. It still feels as if this has to be resolved in one of two ways: an extension or a trade. Hunter seems to have no plans to play in 2023 on this current deal, which is understandable given his status as a star edge rusher and the Vikings' best defensive player.
"It's going to be a day to day thing," O'Connell said. "Danielle and I have had such good dialogue over these last few days. Really trying to build a plan for him that allows him to feel good about coming to work as a Minnesota Viking every single day. We'll continue to work through the contractual side. I don't expect him to initially be a full practice participant."
It would be surprising if Hunter participates at all without an extension. But the Vikings and Hunter's representation clearly have some work to do if they're going to agree to terms on a new contract for the three-time Pro Bowler. It's a fascinating decision from Minnesota's perspective because although Hunter is an incredible talent who is young enough to be a big part of their future, he also turns 29 this fall and recently missed almost two full seasons due to injuries. What is the price they Vikings are willing to pay to keep him around?
If the two sides can't reach an agreement, a trade might be the outcome. The Vikings received calls on Hunter's availability from other teams earlier this summer. Dealing him would further deplete their defense, but it would clear up future cap space and net some valuable draft capital.
Hunter to Jacksonville?
One interesting subplot that fans have noticed is that Hunter is following the Jacksonville Jaguars' official account on Instagram. Other than the Vikings, it's the only team account he follows. That might mean absolutely nothing, but at the very least, it's one of those things that makes people go "hmmm" and break out the eyeball emojis on Twitter.
Hunter also follows several current and former Jaguars on IG, including current edge rusher Josh Allen. Again, it's just interesting. Could it be an indication that a trade with Jacksonville is in the works? Probably not, but in the modern NFL, it can't be totally ruled out.
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