A look at the Vikings' edge rushers if Danielle Hunter is traded
MINNEAPOLIS -- Mandatory minicamp for the Minnesota Vikings is underway and one notable absence is the team's premier pass rusher, Danielle Hunter.
Hunter, 28, is in the final year of his contract, which would pay him a base salary of $4.9 million this season. He's likely holding out while a contract extension is ironed out.
Addressing the Hunter situation, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said the team feels "very strongly about being solution-oriented" and hopes to have a "really positive outcome."
That being said, contract negotiations can be tricky. Plus, the team is reportedly receiving trade calls for Hunter. The prospect of him being traded is not out of the realm of possibilities.
So, with Za'Darius Smith already gone and Hunter's future with the team uncertain, what does the edge rusher department look like for the Vikings? Let's take a look.
[Note: This position is technically called outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense, as opposed to defensive end in the 4-3 defense]
MARCUS DAVENPORT
Age: 26
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 265 pounds
College: Texas-San Antonio
NFL experience: 6 years
The Vikings brought in former New Orleans defensive end Davenport for a one-year deal early in the offseason.
Davenport was the 14th overall pick in 2018 by the Saints, but has struggled with injuries.
The team is hoping Davenport fits in nicely with the new aggressive defensive scheme - and is more productive. While he did have a good pressure rate last season, Davenport only recorded a half of a sack.
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His most productive season was in 2021 when he recorded nine sacks and forced three fumbles.
At least at this point, Davenport is expected to be one of the starting edge rushers. Depending on his production, he may stick around past this coming season.
DJ WONNUM
Age: 25
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 258 pounds
College: South Carolina
NFL experience: 4 years
Though Hunter and Smith took most of the edge rushing snaps last season, DJ Wonnum was given plenty of opportunities, too. He played just over 50% of the defensive snaps, recording 34 tackles, four sacks, 10 quarterback hits and one forced fumble.
It'll be interesting to see if the Vikings re-sign Wonnum, who will be playing the last year of his contract this season.
PATRICK JONES II
Age: 24
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 264 pounds
College: Pittsburgh
NFL experience: 3 years
Jones II had even fewer snaps than Wonnum, playing 26.4% of defensive snaps, but also put up some decent numbers when he was given a chance.
Jones II notched the first two sacks of his career in the Week 6 game against Miami and ended the season with four sacks. Overall, he had 21 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits.
His contract has him in purple through the 2024 season.
LUIJI VILAIN
Age: 25
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 252 pounds
College: Wake Forest
NFL experience: 2 years
Like some of the undrafted free agents chosen this year, Vilain may be a diamond in the rough for the Vikings. He was taken following last year's draft out of Wake Forest.
Despite the odds many UDFAs face, he made the 53-man roster and appeared in three games. He didn't see much of the field, however, playing only about 2.9% of defensive snaps. He had two tackles.
And just because it's weird not to mention: Yes, he does have an interesting name.
HONORABLE MENTION
While the aforementioned players are likely to see a bulk of the load, there has been a lot of chatter around this year's UDFA signing Andre Carter II. He was reportedly given one of the largest deals ever given to a UDFA.
The 6-foot-7 edge rusher had 15.5 sacks in 2021 and 3.5 last year for Army.
