Seahawks should trade for Danielle Hunter to help with rebuild
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks aren’t going to spend big money by bringing a quarterback to Seattle but a trade for Danielle Hunter could help the defense be great. If coach Pete Carroll wants to win by running the ball, playing great special teams and even greater defense, Hunter would potentially be a massive boost to the unit.
Three seasons ago if a team was going to try to trade with the Vikings for Hunter, that team would likely have had to give up a high draft pick or three. But in the last two years, Hunter has missed a lot of time with two different injuries.
Hunter missed all of 2020 with a neck injury, came back at the start of 2021 and played well but then missed the second half of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. But in seven games in 2021, Hunter had 6 sacks and 10 quarterback hits and 21 pressures. Hunter was very good still.
Seahawks should trade for Danielle Hunter to make for a great pass rush
The Vikings have reportedly been trying to trade Hunter for most of the calendar year in hopes he would be traded before this Sunday. Why? Because on Sunday, Minnesota will owe Hunter a roster bonus of $18 million. That is a lot of money for Minnesota, a team that didn’t have any cap room to start free agency.
Should the Seahawks try to get Hunter before Sunday? No. They could afford to because Seattle still has $33,602,502 in cap room, third-most in the league. But giving up more than half of that just to get Hunter seems dumb. Minnesota is likely stuck with Hunter through at least Sunday.
But because the Vikings did weird things when they restructured Hunter (he has two void years – 2024 and 2025 – where the Vikings have a bit over $2 million in dead cap), the team could still owe Hunter $8.20 million in 2023. In 2023, the Vikings currently have the 7th-least cap space so they need to make moves that not only affect 2022 but also 2023.
No team is going to give up a first-round choice for Hunter with his recent injury history. But assuming the Seahawks don’t trade for a quarterback soon, Seattle could offer a 2022 second-round or third-round pick for Hunter after Sunday.
While Hunter has been banged up the last two seasons, he is still only 27 years old and already has three seasons of 12.5 or more sacks and is a two-time Pro Bowler.
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Imagine if you will if Seattle can get Hunter and he can stay healthy in 2022. Hunter can be teamed with Carlos Dunlap, Darrell Taylor and recently-acquired Uchenna Nwosu to help the Seahawks chase down opposing quarterbacks. Seattle might be looking for a quarterback of their own in 2022, but all those pass rushers for the Seahawks putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks is going to help Seattle win quite a few games next season.