Danielle Hunter Trade Value: Can Vikings Land 1st Round Pick for the NFL Sack Leader?

The Minnesota Vikings’ season is on the line this weekend vs the San Francisco 49ers. The trade deadline is 11 days away. So while they may not be actively shopping their expiring assets — like NFL sack leader Danielle Hunter — to potential bidders quite yet, dropping to 2-5 with another loss Monday would surely change that mindset.

Related: Vikings Have No Plans to Trade Kirk Cousins but Continue to Take Calls on Others

If the Vikings find their way to another L on Monday night, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will be forced to put the “For Sale” sign out on the 2023-24 roster. Even if vibes were still good, inside TCO Performance Center, the clock of hope would be out, at that point.

Is Danielle Hunter Trade Value a 1st round pick?

And if the door does slide open on a Vikings 2023-24 garage fire sale, the prime trade piece most buyers will be interested in will be 29-year-old EDGE rusher Danielle Hunter. The asking price? Local insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson thinks the Vikings can get and should be demanding a 1st round pick.

He points to Bradley Chubb, who landed the Denver Broncos a 1st round pick last year, when he was traded to the Dolphins, along with all the teams that are showing interest in Hunter. Like with Chubb, Danielle would have to agree to a long term extension with his new team, if the Vikings want any chance at a 1st round pick.

Mackey: “Let me just ask you this: What do you think you could get for Danielle Hunter, if you start floating him around? You know, Jaguars, Lions… like, is that getting you a 1st round pick?”

Wolfson: “There were some other moving part in the trade last year between the Broncos and Dolphins but Bradley Chubb ultimately netted Denver a 1st round pick. Think about the Von Miller trade from a couple years ago, that was not a 1st round pick.

That was a, what, 2nd and a 3rd? I mean, that should be the goal. Now I would think part of the moving parts would be wherever Danielle lands, that team would have all sorts of interest in extending him right on the spot, much like the Dolphins did with Bradley Chubb.

I can also throw out Baltimore [as a team that makes sense for Hunter] — Jacksonville is the one that makes the most sense to me — but yeah Detroit… heck, maybe even the 49ers. I mean, there are many teams that could use a talent like Danielle Hunter. But if you’re not getting a 1st… would you move him for a 2nd? Would you move him for a 2nd and 3rd?

MN Sports with Mackey & Judd

Chubb was a couple years younger than Hunter is now, when he was traded last season. Chubb also totaled only 8 sacks all of 2022-23. Danielle already has that many through 6 game. Not to mention, he’s a physical freak. I don’t think there is much doubt out there that Hunter will be productive into his early 30’s, as long as he stays healthy.

If there were no injury question marks surrounding Danielle, his trade value would be a 1st round pick plus more, no doubt. But his injury-riddled 2021 is still affecting his value, even after starting all 17 games in 2023-24 and a 6 games to start 2023-24.

Related: 49ers Injuries: McCaffrey, Samuel, Williams Status vs Vikings Undetermined

Not giving up on the Minnesota Vikings yet…

I’m still a believer in this 2023-24 Minnesota Vikings squad, even after their poor start. The slow start to their season is so disappointing because it’s so obvious how much they have underachieved.

If the offense can eliminate turnovers and somehow find a way to finish drives vs the Niners, there’s no reason why they can’t be 3-4 by the time the NFL calendar flips from week 7 to week 8. And don’t look now, but the schedule gets easier after this game.

But if they lose on Monday and start selling off assets, expect them to put a 1st round price tag on Danielle Hunter.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan