Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter might request a trade if he does not get a new contract.
Chad Graff of The Athletic reported that Hunter has grown “discontent” with the five-year, $75 million deal he signed with the Vikings back in 2018. The frustration stems from Hunter's belief he is underpaid relative to other star defensive ends around the league.
Hunter seems to be considering all of his options at the beginning of the informal tampering period, per Graff:
“Now, Hunter is exploring all of his options. If he’s not given a new contract, he could potentially hold out, he could publicly demand a trade or he could even seek new representation with the hope that a new agent could help him navigate a path out of Minnesota. He hasn’t ruled out any of those three scenarios.”
Hunter made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019. He had 14.5 sacks in both campaigns, while also tallying over 70 combined tackles. The 26-year-old had a whopping 21 tackles for a loss in 2018 and 15 more in 2019.
Hunter is dismayed that his annual average does not match that of guys such as Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett. Both of whom have yet to reach 14.5 sacks in a single season.
Vikings Hold All The Cards
However, Hunter is not exactly negotiating from a position of strength. He missed the entirety of the 2020 season for the Vikings after undergoing season-ending neck surgery. Graff noted Hunter had been upset with his contract situation prior to the neck injury, but the fact he did not play a single snap in 2020 does not help his case.
It seems unlikely the Vikings would trade Hunter because of his $12 million dead cap hit. It is also unknown whether the two sides can work out a new deal, which might result in an eventual trade.
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