Reports are coming out that a superstar pass rusher for the Minnesota Vikings wants out.
Danielle Hunter could potentially hold out or demand a trade if he isn’t given a new contract with the Vikings, per @ChadGraff pic.twitter.com/tKPxnYJqln
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 15, 2021
Hunter is only 27 years old, and he’s actually on a pretty reasonable contract. His cap hit for 2021 is $17.75 million, so Atlanta would have to do some restructuring or salary matching to get the deal done. In 2022, the cap hit falls to $17 million before dropping to an even more palatable $14 million in 2023. That declining contract is a primary reason why Hunter wants out. Regardless, there’s no denying that he is immensely talented.
Danielle Hunter's pressure rate in his last season was 15.75%…
that was higher than peak JJ Watt (14.85%) in his healthy years
also…
from 2016-2019, Hunter caused the #1 most turnovers by pressure in the NFL
(Hunter missed the 2020 season) https://t.co/WG1uupev28
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 15, 2021
There are some scheme fit questions, as he’s been in Mike Zimmer’s 4-3 for his entire career, but when you have a player that good — scheme doesn’t matter nearly as much. This would undoubtedly gobble up almost all of Atlanta’s available spending, but with pass rushers around the league signing quickly, the Falcons are running low on options before free agency even begins. It’s the kind of boost Atlanta’s pass rush desperately needs, but it’s probably a little far-fetched to expect a first-year GM to make that type of splash, especially with so little cap space.
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