3 Best Danielle Hunter Trade Destinations

Max Staley
Danielle Hunter has been shut down for the remainder of the year, and that could result in a trade this offseason.
Danielle Hunter has been shut down for the remainder of the year, and that could result in a trade this offseason. / Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
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The Minnesota Vikings have shut down star defensive end Danielle Hunter for the remainder of the year, as he's having surgery to clean up a herniated disc. Hunter had yet to play this season, though the team was optimistic he could return at some point, but this news of course puts an end to that. But it could be the beginning of some trade rumors that will likely stick until next season kicks off.

Hunter has significantly out-performed the 5-year extension he signed back in 2018, recording 29.0 sacks from 2018-19. That could force Minnesota's hand, and some have speculated the Vikings could be looking to trade the perennially underrated 25-year-old.

If Minnesota does ultimately decide to move on, here are three teams that could be looking to add Hunter for the 2021 season.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Looking at Spotrac's 2021 NFL cap space projections, the Colts are set to have $76 million in space. That will get them in contention for any star player they want to add. And why wouldn't they want Hunter? The two-time Pro Bowler would be a force coming off the edge while DeForest Buckner generates interior pressure. It's scary to think of the havoc Darius Leonard could wreak while playing with two guys like that.

2. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are quietly one of the most exciting young teams in football. Tua Tagovailoa has just taken the reins from Ryan Fitzpatrick, and if he proves he's up to the task, Miami could be a legitimate contender as soon as next year. If they want to go all-in next season, Hunter makes a ton of sense. The Dolphins are currently a top-five scoring defense, but they lack a real blue-chip pass-rushing threat. Hunter, who has 29.0 sacks over the last two seasons, would solve that immediately. The 25-year-old fits Miami's timeline, and no one has more draft capital than the Dolphins. If they really want him, they should be able to beat any offer.

1. Cleveland Browns

This is probably the most fun destination for Hunter. The thought of pairing Hunter with the 24-year-old Myles Garrett for the next 5-to-7 years could prove too much for the Cleveland Browns to pass up. It'd take a lot to acquire him, but the move would give Cleveland the NFL's best pass-rushing duo for the foreseeable future. They should have the cap space to sign him to a nice deal as well. From Minnesota's perspective, it'd be great to keep him out of the NFC.


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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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