The Minnesota Vikings are in a transition period. 

The roster was full of bloated contracts and aging veterans, so the team has made a conscious effort to get younger this offseason. Patrick Peterson, Za'Darius Smith, Eric Kendricks, and now Dalvin Cook have all headed elsewhere. 

If the latest rumors come to fruition, then edge defender Danielle  Hunter will be the next veteran to go. Today, I wanted to identify three realistic landing spots for the veteran.

New York Jets

The New York Jets would be an ideal landing spot for Hunter. The Jets primarily employ a 4-3 defensive front, meaning Hunter would go back to playing as a defensive end. Hunter’s best pro seasons came in a 4-3 system for the Vikings in 2018 and 2019. The veteran collected 14.5 sacks in each of those seasons. 

The Jets would love to have anything close to that level of production on the defensive line. Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers figure to start at defensive end with rookie Will McDonald IV and Jermaine Johnson rotating in. While McDonald could develop into a star, none of the defensive ends in New York seem to have the double-digit sack potential of Hunter. 

This would likely be an all-in type of move for the Jets. The team has plenty of cap space in 2023, but would likely not be able to re-sign the veteran after the season. 

Photo credit: © Chris Pedota, NorthJ | 2023 May 31

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers currently have just over $10M in cap space, meaning Hunter’s $5.5M salary would fit comfortably. However, like the Jets, this would likely be an all-in move for 2023 as the team would be unlikely to re-sign the veteran. 

The Niners are another team that primarily sports a 4-3 defensive front. Hunter would slide in opposite Nick Bosa with Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead on the interior, giving the Niners one of the scariest lines in the league. 

Hunter could be the piece that puts the Niners over the edge. In 2023, Nick Bosa had 18.5 sacks, but the next closest defender was Samson Ebukam with just five sacks. Hunter may not reproduce his 14.5 sack performances but he did collect 10.5 just last season. This is the exact type of player the Niners need, especially for insurance if Bosa goes down. 

Photo credit: © Bill Streicher | 2023 Jan 29

Jacksonville Jaguars

Unlike the Jets and 49ers, the Jaguars could theoretically afford to re-sign Hunter if they trade for him. The Jaguars are currently slated to have around $25M to spend in 2024, so Hunter wouldn’t be a rental.

The Jags could certainly use a player of Hunter's caliber. Talented edge defender Josh Allen skipped OTAs and wants a contract extension, while 2022 top pick Travon Walker has a ways to go before he is a solidified pass rusher. Walker could learn from Allen and have less pressure on his shoulders this early in his career. 

With the Jaguars being AFC South favorites, this is the type of move that needs to be made to solidify the roster. 

Photo credit: © Corey Perrine/Florid | 2023 Jun 12

Featured image via © Matt Krohn | 2022 Nov 24