The Minnesota Vikings and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter have agreed to terms on a new deal, the team announced Sunday.
Hunter will remain with the team on a 1-year deal worth $20 million with $17 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. This was reportedly agreed upon late Saturday night and also includes a clause to prevent the Vikings from placing the franchise tag on Hunter after this season.
This development comes after the Vikings were reportedly looking at options to move the 28-year-old pass rusher, per ESPN.
Hunter was set to earn $5.5 million this season. It would have been the last year of his five-year, $70 million extension, a deal that was reworked two offseasons ago.
Hoping to negotiate for more money, he reportedly skipped the voluntary offseason workout program and mandatory minicamp but did report to 2023 Vikings Training Camp by the veterans’ deadline last Tuesday.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Saturday he was communicating with Hunter every day. “We’re still kind of in that on-going process,” O’Connell said, via NFl
“I’m having daily dialogue personally with him. My hope is we continue to work towards [finding common ground] over the course of a long training camp. He’s played a lot of football, he’ll be ready to go.”
Now, he’ll play another season and earn a salary reflective of his production before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Last season, Hunter recorded 10.5 sacks, marking his first double-digit sack season since 2019. His 70 pressures were also a high since 2019. He only played in seven games during the 2021 season due to a torn pectoral muscle.
He has developed significantly since he joined the Vikings fresh out of LSU in 2015. Over 102 career games and 73 regular-season starts, he has notched 71 sacks and 112 QB hits.
