Could Pro Bowl pass-rusher Danielle Hunter be on the move? In a bit of a surprise, it was announced earlier this week that the Minnesota Vikings have been getting trade calls for the veteran playmaker. A fresh start could be on the way for him.
With that said, NY Giants fans have been taking to social media to call for general manager Joe Schoen to make something happen. The Giants already feature Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux as their stars coming off the edge, but the group could definitely use some depth. Enter Hunter, a 6-5, 265-pounder?
Even with some injury concerns, should be a long list of teams interested in Danielle Hunter (with a major extension a necessity, smart team would agree to it as a condition of the trade)
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) June 7, 2023
Giants, Broncos, Texans, Bears, Panthers, Falcons, Saints
Danielle Hunter would be a great addition for the NY Giants defense
There's no question that the pass-rush could use some help before the 2023 season arrives. As good as Thibodeaux and Ojulari are when on the field together, injuries prevented the two from working together on a consistent basis. In 2022, Ojulari appeared in seven games, making five starts.
Ojulari missing more than half of the campaign was rough to see. He's looking healthy these days, but imagine if similar issues pop up in '23. Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines would be ready to step in, but having Hunter available would be on another level.
Hunter is a three-time Pro Bowler, including earning the honor last winter. With the Vikings looking to potentially trade him, it could only take a pair of mid-to-late-round picks for him. The Giants would need to get creative with the salary cap and extend him to lower that number, but we've seen Schoen work his magic before.
Several teams are surely interested in trying to land Hunter, as he's a beast working in the trenches. He's the kind of talent who could really flourish working with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale as well. If Schoen hasn't made a phone call to Minnesota yet, he should do so this weekend.
READ MORE: Wink Martindale could not he happier with Deonte Banks