Minnesota Vikings All-Pro edge rusher Danielle Hunter has the potential to set the market in free agency.
Pass-rushers are among the most vital players when it comes to roster construction, and Danielle Hunter is among the most dominant players at the position across the league.
When free agency gets underway, and the new league year begins on March 13, ESPN’s Field Yates lists Hunter as one of four free agents who are primed to break the bank when the market opens.
“Hunter’s renegotiated contract with the Vikings prior to last season prevented the team from using a tag on him” Yates writes for ESPN. “And paved the way for a gargantuan payday. Hunter has six seasons to his name with 10-plus sacks, including a career-best 16.5 in 2023, as he remains one of the best and most active rushers in all of football. A pass-rusher of this caliber infrequently reaches free agency, setting Hunter up to be attractive to a ton of teams.”
At age 29, Hunter still has plenty of upside from here, even after a 2023 season that saw him add 80 total quarterback pressures to his 83 total tackles and 16.5 sacks.
Pro Football Focus suggests Hunter could fetch a contract worth $65 million over the next three seasons, including $40 million fully-guaranteed.
“While Hunter will turn 30 during the 2024 regular season,” Zoltán Buday explains. “He still offers a lot as a pass rusher. He earned a 75.0-plus pass-rushing grade in 2023 for the fourth consecutive season, and his 163 total pressures recorded over the past two years ranks seventh among edge defenders.”
Where is Danielle Hunter’s Best Free Agent Fit?
Given that there are several teams with Super Bowl aspirations with plenty of cap space this offseason, Danielle Hunter is in the unique position of being able to cash in while chasing a Lombardi.
The Houston Texans could conceivably view Hunter as the perfect upgrade opposite Will Anderson Jr., and a potentially difference-making addition.
Similarly, the Detroit Lions would love to pluck one of their NFC North rivals’ most disruptive defensive stars and pair him opposite ascending edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
However, the Washington Commanders may prove to be Hunter’s eventual landing spot. After all, no team has more spending flexibility than Washington’s $96 million in cap space and have the potential to orchestrate a worst-to-playoffs turnaround. Danielle Hunter would be a big step towards making a 2024 bounce-back a reality.
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