Daniel Hunter Landing Spot revealed: as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
As the NFL trade deadline approaches Oct.
31, the Minnesota Vikings have a player that multiple teams are interested in.
There has been some buzz surrounding Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins, but now another Vikings Pro Bowler is in the spotlight.
According to NFL Media, the team has recalled Vikings wide receiver Daniel Hunter.
The interest in him was “very serious”. In 2022, Hunter recorded 65 combined tackles, 22 QB hits and 10.5 sacks as he returned to Pro Bowl form after missing 10 games in 2021 with a torn pectoral muscle. He couldn’t do much to increase his trade value in 2023.
Hunter leads the NFL with eight sacks, tied with Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt has a chance to lead the league in scoring on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.
Needless to say, the future of hunters is uncertain. The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $72 million contract with Minnesota through the 2018 season and is expected to make $11.5 million in 2023, according to OverTheCap.
The Vikings are currently unwilling to agree to a long-term extension with Hunter and have agreed to a Band-Aid deal through 2023 that would bring Hunter more money.
Hunter has been the subject of trade rumors in recent years and even had his contract reworked for 2021 after skipping a voluntary workout.
Hunter has also dealt with injury issues as he missed the entire 2020 season with a neck injury and most of the 2021 campaign with the aforementioned chest injury.
In 102 career NFL games, Hunter recorded 379 combined tackles, 71 sacks and made three Pro Bowls.
A trade for Hunter could be possible before the 2023 NFL Draft, but with the team off to a 2-4 start and Cousins in the final year of his contract, he has an extra pick for a significant rebuild.
. A trade could happen if a team comes to Minnesota with an attractive offer.
One thing to keep in mind is that if the Vikings deal Hunter, there could also be an extension for the pass rusher.
Let’s take a look at four spots Hunter could land.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are currently on a four-game winning streak and are off to a 5-2 start.
However, if they want to make a deep postseason run in 2023, they will need to improve their ability to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Their 31.2% pressure rate is sixth lowest in the NFL.
This season, their 13 sacks rank fifth in the league as a team, and their sack percentage, the frequency with which opposing tackles are taken out on pass rushes, is third at 4.3 percent lowest in the NFL behind the Houston Texans. (4%) and the Chicago Bears (3.8%).
Former Jaguars top-10 rusher Josh Allen, 26, is on pace for a record seven sacks and is tied for fourth in the NFL heading into the 2022 season with 33 pressures of defender.
6th in the league.
The problem is that no one in Jacksonville has more than three sacks, which makes it very easy for opponents to force Allen into double-doubles.
Having Hunter and Allen on the same defensive line can cause confusion.
As the AFC South champions need to step up to be a real threat to escape a loaded AFC.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers’ Super Bowl championship drought doesn’t get as much attention as the Cowboys’, but it actually lasts a season longer.
The 49ers will have to capitalize on the fact that quarterback Brock Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is on his rookie contract and put it all together to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy this season.
According to OverTheCap, they have a $39.9 million cap hit for 2023, which would allow them to buy out Hunter’s work.
But the 2024 salary cap is currently under $1.5 million, making it even more urgent to secure all that money now. The 49ers have some of the best defensive talent in the NFL, including 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and starting defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
Their team’s quarterback pressures reflect that talent, as their 41.2% pressure rate is the fourth highest in the NFL.
However, they would do well to shift the pressure to their midfielders. They have 15 sacks as a team heading into Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, which gives them a 6 percent sack rate that ranks in the bottom third of the league through the first six games.
Adding Hunter, the NFL’s co-leading scorer on Monday, would put their defense on par with the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.
These are the steps they need to take.
With the two teams playing on Monday night, some individual negotiations may fall through.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens pass rush is currently performing at a high level, with 29 teams leading the NFL in rushing. Five players — defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, linebacker Patrick Quinn, linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, linebacker Kyle Van Nove and safety Kyle Hamilton — all have at least three sacks.
The committee is busy.
Ahead of a 5-2 start and a 38-6 loss to the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions, Fox came out of thin air to switch to a Buccaneers-Falcons rivalry game. Baltimore is a real contender.
The Ravens could use a Tier 1 pass rusher next season. Hunter provides a quick impact player, giving the rest of the running back committee the space it needs to continue to make an impact at quarterback well into January.
Houston Texans
Former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is now in charge in Houston and could speed up the rebuild with a stout defense.
Texas drafted Will Anderson Jr. He’s the third overall pick, but having Hunter in front of him could make for a very interesting tandem and accelerate his development by learning from one of the NFL’s best .
