Danielle Hunter is officially holding out. The star pass rusher wasn't in attendance at the first day of the Vikings' mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and he won't be there on Wednesday either.
Set to make just $5.5 million this season as a result of money being moved up on his contract last year, Hunter wants to cash in on his productive 2022 campaign with a new multi-year deal. If his camp and the Vikings can't agree to terms on a deal, Minnesota might be best served by trading him for a haul of draft picks.
On Tuesday, head coach Kevin O'Connell commented on Hunter's situation.
"The only thing I would just say is I've got all the respect in the world for Danielle as a player, a leader, a person on our team," O'Connell said. "Those situations, we feel very strongly about being solution-oriented with everything that comes about. This is an example, just like a lot of the other ones that have come up. We hope to have continued dialogue and have a really positive outcome."
It's a fascinating case with a lot to consider for both sides. Hunter understandably wants to secure a big pay-day at age 28, given his recent injury history and previous contract drama. Because he's such a talented player at a premium position — and young enough to be part of a multi-year plan — the Vikings may want to keep him. But as always, it'll come down to how much he's commanding on a new deal and what kind of return the Vikings could get in a trade.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has yet to hand out a single big multi-year extension, though that will undoubtedly change with Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson. Will Hunter, who is a bit older, get one too? If the Vikings do trade him after already trading Za'Darius Smith, it would be a big step towards rebuild mode.
For what it's worth, O'Connell said he believes there's an outcome where Hunter remains with the Vikings.
"I would like to think so," he said. "When I say solution-oriented, that is definitely one of the solutions that hopefully we can work towards. I definitely see that as a real outcome. There's a lot to be determined there and I want to be very sensitive to allowing that process to play out for both our organization and for Danielle."
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