NEWSLETTER
Another day, another drama for the Minnesota Vikings.
Just days after parting ways with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook in a move that had to do more with cap-clearing than anything else, the Vikings are learning that they’ll be without star pass rusher Danielle Hunter at the team’s upcoming mandatory minicamp:
Hunter will be subject to fines for missing out on mandatory team activities. But that is of little matter for a player who is seeking a well-deserved raise. The 28-year-old defensive end is coming off another stellar season harassing quarterbacks. Hunter earned Pro Bowl honors for the third time in four years by picking up 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles-for-loss, and 22 quarterback hits. Those numbers would make you think the Vikings would want to lock up Hunter for the foreseeable future. But because they haven’t done so, Hunter is staying away from Vikings camp altogether.
I love it when rival teams have high-profile contract squabbles. And I get a sicko smile thinking about what it would take for the Bears to jump in on a tenuous situation. It won’t be easy, nor will it be cheap. But it isn’t totally far-fetched. Hear me out…
The Vikings have made some notable trades with their NFC North rivals since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took over as the team’s general manager in 2022:
It is clear that Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings’ front office have no qualms about making intradivision trades. Hence, I won’t dismiss the possibility of the Bears and Vikings linking up on a deal for Hunter. At this point, you’re probably wondering what that type of trade looks like. Let’s explore some options.
Firstly, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hears Hunter “would have real trade value” and adds that it might take a second-round pick (and more) to get into those conversations. That seems like a steep price for a player who needs a big-money extension upon arrival. But that shouldn’t deter the Bears.
This team has a need (which we’ve been discussing since before the 2022 season came to an end). And while the Bears didn’t go all out in filling the need, it is OK. GM Ryan Poles has draft capital he can dangle in negotiations with his Minnesota counterpart. That Panthers second-round pick in 2025 could be enticing to the Vikings should they pivot to rebuilding. And Chicago has ample wiggle room to spend under the salary cap. The Bears are currently $32,578,173 under the 2023 cap and more than $96 million under next year’s projected number. The Bears check three important boxes in terms of finding the Vikings a partner. So let’s make like Monty Hall and let’s make a deal.
But before we go too far down that road, Fowler adds that Minnesota’s preference would be to keep Hunter. Part of me wants to believe that is a true statement coming from Minnesota. After all, the production is legit. Why would you want to move a player of that caliber off of your roster? But it is possible that the Vikings making it known publicly that they’d prefer to retain Hunter might be a negotiating ploy. We saw Poles create trade markets (of varying degrees) for the first pick, Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, and Roquan Smith. Now, the Bears would be on the other side of the door in this scenario. But we can use what we learned in following those deals and apply a lens for us to watch a potential Hunter pursuit.
At a minimum, we can have an idea of the paths it could take and when it could all come to a head. Think of this less as a news story about a player’s potential availability. And instead, view this as another chapter in the ongoing saga of the NFL postseason.
Overall, the vibe around the situation makes me feel like the Vikings know a trade is inevitable. It would make sense, too. This team already sent Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Cook packing. It’s almost as if Minnesota is operating like a team that knows its 2022 division-title winner was a smoke-and-mirrors job. If that is the case, kudos on having a sense of self-awareness most franchises don’t have.
With that being said, I expect the Vikings to set a relatively high bar to clear for teams wanting to cut a deal. But making big asks comes with a roll of the dice. We saw the Cardinals try this with receiver DeAndre Hopkins in late March, which was a woeful failure. Arizona would ultimately part ways with him nearly two months later because they set a price that was higher than any team was willing to pay. I don’t think Minnesota is at risk of repeating Arizona’s missteps, but it is a situation that bears watching. And one I hope Chicago’s Bears have eyes on.
