Heading into the 2023 season, there were a lot of questions surrounding the Minnesota Vikings' defense. The Vikes' defense was one of the worst units in 2022, but they have some playmakers on the team, like Danielle Hunter. Additionally, the team also hired former coach Brian Flores to be their defensive coordinator.

It took some time, but the Vikings' defense has been one of the best units in the NFL this season. At the forefront of their defense is Danielle Hunter, who is currently leading the NFL in sacks. A clear beneficiary of Flores' schemes, the Vikings have no intention of trading Hunter at the deadline, per Jeremy Fowler.

The Vikings and Hunter agreed to a one-year deal in the offseason to keep the star pass-rusher in Minnesota. Since he's an expiring contract, Hunter has gotten a lot of attention in the trade deadline from contending teams. However, the Vikings value what he brings to the table, and are willing to take a risk on the star.

The risk, of course, is that Hunter ends up leaving in the offseason for nothing. Trading the star pass-rusher now allows the team to recoup some value. The Vikings are betting on themselves to convince Hunter to stay on the team. Based on how the defense is playing now, that doesn't seem like a hard sell.

The Vikings are playing the best defense they've had in quite some time. From the trenches to the secondary, the entire unit has stepped up in a big way this season. They'll need to play a lot harder moving forward, though: Kirk Cousins' injury will inevitably force the defense to play out of their minds.