4 Minnesota Vikings who won't be back if Justin Jefferson gets the bag
By Mark Powell
2. Danielle Hunter is worth more money than the Vikings have
Danielle Hunter had an outstanding season in a contract year for the Vikings, as he had 16.5 sacks and increased his valuation significantly. That's great news for Hunter, but not as nice for Minnesota, as spotrac estimates he'll earn at least $20 million per season on a multiyear deal.
Hunter signed a one-year, $17 million contract to stay in Minnesota last season. Now he wants even more and over the course of several seasons. If the Vikings sign Jefferson for almost $30 million, they'll have to let at least one of Hunter or Cousins leave. It'll be a painful breakup, as well, as Hunter was one of the bright spots on Minnesota's defense in 2023. As ESPN's Dan Graziano notes, retaining Hunter won't be easy for the Vikes.
"Hunter, who had 16.5 sacks last season and 27 total over the past two years, could be the top edge rusher on the market and would likely generate interest from multiple teams. The Vikings' attention has been focused on finding out whether they can keep Cousins, but he's not the only significant piece of business they have to address," Graziano wrote.
The best move for the Vikings would be to let Cousins walk and extend both Hunter and Jefferson. Even with that motive, though, there's a good chance Hunter walks for a better offer elsewhere, as pass rushers are in high demand.