Justin Jefferson is sick of hearing about it, but until the Minnesota Vikings start losing, the trade rumors involving some of their top players won’t end.
On Wednesday, September 27, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox updated his trade block big board, which has included Hunter throughout every week of the regular season and continues to list the Cleveland Browns as one of the linebacker’s most likely landing spots.
According to Knox,
“[Hunter’s] contract prevents the Vikings from putting the franchise tag on him in 2024, so now might be the time for the team to cash in via a trade.”
“The Browns would make sense as a landing spot if they want to keep improving their impressive defense.
With the second-most cap space ($35.9 million) in the league, Cleveland added former Vikings Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson this offseason.”
After a strong start to the season, Danielle Hunter’s trade value is high.
Prior to a December 2022 NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts, outside linebacker Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings observes.
Although the linebacker has recorded five sacks through three games in 2023—second only to T—Hunter is still being mentioned in trade discussions for two straightforward reasons.
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Six sacks have been recorded by Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After months of contract negotiations, Minnesota made Hunter tradeable in late July. The team ultimately decided to raise the OLB’s salary for this season to $17 million guaranteed and $20 million with incentives.
Hunter’s contract expires this year, and the Vikings decided not to renew it for the three-time Pro Bowler, despite the fact that he will only be 29 years old in October.
Hunter may change Minnesota’s mind, but the 0-3 start has the Vikings on the verge of being irrelevant.
With the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on the schedule over the next four weeks, their situation might not materially improve before the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline.
If that turns out to be the case, Minnesota might decide to trade Hunter while his trade value is high rather than engage in a costly bidding war the following offseason that will most likely result in one team (the Vikings or another) signing the star edge-rusher to a multiyear deal worth more than $100 million.
Vikings and Browns Have a History of Trading Players and Share a Common Interest.
Outside linebacker Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates a play during an NFL matchup against the Detroit Lions in October 2021.
Hunter’s final destination will depend on the Vikings’ decision to put him up for sale.
Given his performance through three games, it’s likely that the price has increased since Minnesota originally requested that negotiations for the pass-rusher start with a second-round pick during the preseason. The Browns make a lot of sense given their financial versatility and apparent intention to go all-in on an attempt at a significant playoff run in 2023.
Next year’s rounds 2, 3, and 5 are all Cleveland’s own picks.
According to the team’s official website, the Baker Mayfield trade gave the Browns access to an additional fifth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers. Some combination of those assets, which also includes the second-round pick, may be sufficient to put Hunter in an orange and brown uniform at some point in the upcoming month.
Due to the fact that Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah worked closely with Browns general manager Andrew Berry in Cleveland before accepting the position of GM in Minnesota ahead of the 2022 season, Minnesota and Cleveland are also a particularly interesting combination for business.