Minnesota Vikings star defensive end Danielle Hunter has been a staple of their defense since being drafted by the organization in 2015. However, his tenure with the team may shortly be coming to an end, with the organization taking calls about a potential trade involving him.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport broke the news on Wednesday, revealing that he is garnering “real interest” from teams around the league.
“There is a somewhat murky future for Danielle Hunter in Minnesota,” said Rapoport. “Teams have been calling the Minnesota Vikings regarding Danielle Hunter. He has generated some trade interest. This is something we have heard rumors about for several months. The Vikings and Hunter have not yet been able to strike a long-term deal to compensate him at a level he wants. My understanding is that the interest is pretty serious.”
From Inside Minicamps LIVE on NFL+: The #Vikings are receiving trade calls centered around star pass-rusher Danielle Hunter, and the interest is real, sources say. A look inside the complex situation… pic.twitter.com/GKx98NSx0n
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 7, 2023
Hunter has been one of the best players at his position since he entered the league, so it certainly makes sense that he is generating interest from teams around the league. He notably played all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings last season, recording 10.5 sacks en route to earning his third Pro Bowl appearance.
Rapoport did add that he has his doubts about a potential trade at this point in the offseason, saying that a trade would have been more likely to happen before the 2023 NFL Draft.
“A trade probably would have been a lot easier before the draft because the Vikings would be able to replace him. It is much more difficult now. But at least these conversations are happening, and we will see where they end up.”
The Vikings didn’t exactly do much in the 2023 NFL Draft to replace him, not taking an edge rusher with one of their six picks in the draft. That may make a potential trade unlikely unless they view an unproven player already on their roster as a real replacement for the Pro Bowler.
