The Minnesota Vikings are off to a disappointing 2-4 start in 2023. With just two more games until the trade deadline, all options have to be considered. 

One Viking has been a trade candidate for almost an entire year. Now, Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti put out a list of players that he is hearing are rumored to be on the trade block, and that Vikings player is included. 

Would the Vikings actually move Danielle Hunter? 

Regarding a potential Hunter move, Ginnitti said the following:

Hunter seems to find his name on every trade list, and maybe rightfully so (8 sacks, 32 tackles, 1 forced fumble, in 350 snaps). But his $6.3M deadline salary (including per game active bonuses) is a bigger number than we’re used to seeing move midseason. Will Minnesota pay it down a bit to make him an easier acquisition?

As Ginnitti notes, the Vikes may have to pay down some of Hunter's remaining salary to facilitate a deal. If the Vikings agreed to that, they could likely pry away more draft capital than they otherwise would. 

I'm still not sure the Vikes are willing to trade Hunter. The veteran has been the best pass rusher on the team by a mile, and trading him would be an admission that the season is over. Hunter has 8 of the team's 18 total sacks and is a team captain, so the locker room could potentially suffer if he is dealt. 

Recently, we analyzed how keeping Hunter for the 2023 season was the right move. However, Hunter's sensational season may make a contending team pay a premium for his services. If Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gets blown away by an offer, a deal could get done. 

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