The rumors about a potential Danielle Hunter trade are circling once again.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed that teams have been calling the Minnesota Vikings about trading for the star edge rusher. At only 28 years old, Hunter has the production, skills and time left in his prime for a team to be willing to offer him a third contract.
Which teams have been calling the Vikings about Hunter? Not only will they have to give up significant capital for Hunter, but they will also have to compensate him more than the $4.9 million he is slated to make this year. That currently isn’t known, but these six teams would be good fits for the star pass rusher.
Chicago Bears
Going into the 2023 season, the Bears have worked hard to bulk up the trenches on both sides of the football. Three of their first four picks were on the offensive and defensive lines, but the edge position is really thin. The Bears made a transformative move in 2018 when they traded for Khalil Mack. Bringing in a player like Hunter could transform their defense from day one and is young enough to keep making an impact when the rebuild is completed.
Los Angeles Rams
The picture of Aaron Donald says everything you need to know about the Rams pass rush. They only have 11 career sacks from players on the roster from players not named Donald. They also have a history of trading a lot of draft capital for veteran players. Would they do the same for Hunter? With their history and having their full slate of picks in 2024, it’s possible.
San Francisco 49ers
This is a really interesting case. The 49ers have a tremendous roster primed to make a Super Bowl. Heck, they almost did it with a third-string quarterback last season in Brock Purdy. While they have Nick Bosa and a talented interior with Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead, adding Hunter as a mercenary for this season while also being a long-term option is a very intriguing prospect for them. They could also (potentially) include Trey Lance in a deal if they so choose.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are an interesting team on this list. They just traded one of their best players last year and drafted two edge rushers in the first round over the past two drafts, but Hunter would be a difference-maker that Steve Spagnuolo’s defense loves to have in his aggressive scheme. It would also take the pressure off of Chris Jones and replace Frank Clark with a better version of him.
New York Jets
The Jets are priming to make a Super Bowl run with the addition of Aaron Rodgers among others. One thing they haven’t had since the departure of John Abraham is a star at edge rusher. The y drafted Will McDonald at 15th overall to help that, but adding Hunter in a 4-3 would be a huge addition next to Quinnean Williams.
There is difficulty in trying to make a trade with the Jets. Both their first and second-round picks in 2024 are tied up in the Aaron Rodgers trade until the conditions of the trade are fulfilled.
Houston Texans
The wild card here is the Texans. They are still working on a rebuild, but accelerated it by trading up from 12 to three with the Arizona Cardinals to get Will Anderson Jr. Adding Hunter could give them a truly dynamic duo that would be a great fit for DeMeco Ryans defense. If they believe that they are farther along than what the league thinks, the move would make sense in setting themselves up for a 3-4 year window.
