$17 Million Defender Dubbed Player Vikings ‘Can’t Afford to Lose’ in Free Agency

The Minnesota Vikings are facing significant challenges in managing their salary cap this season, necessitating some impactful departures from the roster. However, amidst these considerations, there is a consensus that prioritizing the re-signing of free agent edge defender Danielle Hunter is crucial.

According to Brad Spielberger from Pro Football Focus, Hunter is the player the Vikings absolutely “can’t afford to lose” during this offseason. Spielberger points out numerous reasons for this priority, emphasizing that Minnesota’s defense, under the guidance of defensive coordinator Brian Flores, exceeded expectations given its overall talent level. Hunter emerges as the true game-changer around whom everything else revolves.

Spielberger highlights Hunter’s exceptional performance, noting that over the past two seasons, he ranks seventh in quarterback pressures with 150 and second in defensive stops with 89. Despite entering his ninth NFL season, Hunter will still be 29 years old for the first month of the upcoming campaign. This underscores the significance of retaining Hunter, as he remains a pivotal force on the field and a cornerstone for the team’s defensive success.

Vikings Will Incur $15 Million Cap Hit if Danielle Hunter’s Contract Voids

Losing Danielle Hunter would not only impact the Minnesota Vikings on the field due to his exceptional play, but it would also have significant financial implications for the team. If the star defensive end decides to walk in free agency, his contract will void, leading to a substantial salary cap hit for the Vikings, all without the benefit of Hunter’s contributions on the field.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic pointed out the parallel between Hunter’s situation and that of Kirk Cousins. Regardless of whether Hunter remains with the team or not, his impact on the Vikings’ salary cap in 2024 is inevitable. If he leaves, the team would face a dead-cap hit of approximately $15 million. However, there is an opportunity for the Vikings to mitigate this financial impact by working on an extension before Hunter’s contract voids in March. This could involve restructuring the contract to push money into the future, providing the team with more flexibility in managing their cap space in 2024.

It’s worth noting that Minnesota had the chance to secure an extension with Hunter before the 2023 season. Unfortunately, negotiations between the front office and Hunter’s representation fell through, resulting in a renegotiation of the final year of his contract. This renegotiation saw an increase in Hunter’s base pay to $17 million, which, combined with incentives, resulted in a total compensation of $20 million. This adjustment reflected Hunter’s outstanding performance during the season, where he achieved a career-high 16.5 sacks and led the league with 23 tackles for loss.

Vikings Can Earn Cap Relief in 2024 by Re-Signing QB Kirk Cousins

Alec Lewis highlighted in his article that Kirk Cousins is on the verge of becoming a free agent if the Minnesota Vikings do not extend his contract before the official start of free agency in mid-March.

Lewis emphasized that if the franchise decides not to re-sign Cousins, the consequences would go beyond just leaving the team without a confirmed starting quarterback for the 2024 season. In addition to the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the Vikings would also incur a substantial cap hit of $28.5 million for the upcoming season.

Interestingly, Lewis explained how re-signing Cousins and potentially offering him a higher salary could actually benefit the Vikings financially in the short term. While this decision might raise concerns about long-term financial implications, the immediate impact would involve creating more favorable cap space for the team. This strategic move could provide the Vikings with greater financial flexibility in the short run, even though it may pose challenges for the team’s financial outlook in the future.

The Minnesota Vikings face a challenging situation with Kirk Cousins’ impending free agency and the substantial $28.5 million cap hit associated with it. The only viable method for decreasing this financial burden is by signing Cousins to a contract extension. This strategic move aligns with a past approach employed by the Vikings, involving the concept of stashing money in the future to alleviate immediate financial pressures.

By extending Cousins, the team can lower his cap hit for the 2024 season, creating additional cap space to address deficiencies in the talent level of their defense. This could be a sensible option, especially if the Vikings believe they are in contention for an NFC North title, an NFC championship, or even a Super Bowl.

However, the drawback to this approach is the potential negative impact on the team’s financial situation in the years to come. While it may provide short-term relief and enhance their competitiveness, the long-term consequences of pushing financial commitments into the future could pose challenges for the Vikings down the line. The team must carefully weigh the immediate benefits against the future implications to make a prudent decision that aligns with their competitive goals.