3 surprise cuts the Minnesota Vikings can make this offseason

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 21: Adam Thielen #19 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before the start of a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 21, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Colts defeated the Vikings 12-10. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

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2. DE Danielle Hunter

New defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has said Hunter is a fit for his system, which will mix 3-4 and 4-3 fronts with edge rushers standing up and putting their hand on the ground.

Coming off him missing the entire 2020 season with a neck injury, the Vikings restructured Hunter’s contract to make 2021 into essentially a prove-it year. He had six sacks in seven games last season, before being sidelined for the rest of the campaign with a torn pec.

Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune has suggested Hunter’s future with the Vikings is “something of an open question.” He has a $18 million roster bonus due on March 20, which feels like a deadline to do something.

Minnesota could look to trade Hunter. What that return would be, coming off playing just seven games over the last two seasons and two pretty significant injuries, is hard to tab. A post-June 1 cut would create $20 million in cap savings, with a bit of net gain on the cap savings/dead money equation if he’s cut before June 1.

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