The Buffalo Bills added to their pass rush again last offseason. There could still be room for improvement found in the Bills’ edge defender ranks.
If Buffalo were to take the trade market route this time around, Pro Football Focus makes a suggestion.
The football analytics outlet pegged 15 trades that they could see happening. Buffalo going back down the Minnesota Vikings well was the move and the target player is Danielle Hunter.
PFF suggest the Bills send two picks to the Vikings for the pass rusher.
First, here’s the full breakdown:
MINNESOTA VIKINGS TRADE EDGE DANIELLE HUNTER TO BUFFALO BILLS
Terms: Bills send 2023 2nd, 2022 4th
Vikings dead money: $11.48M
Bills inherited contract: Two years, $25.5MOne of the more complicated contractual situations in the NFL will play out between the Vikings and star edge defender Danielle Hunter. Hunter was justifiably unhappy with his contract heading into the 2021 campaign but was also coming off a season-ending injury, so the two sides elected to punt the decision to 2022.
New Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah now has to navigate a tricky situation with a March deadline quickly approaching — when Hunter’s $18 million 2022 roster bonus is due. The roster bonus was added in the 2021 offseason to serve as a trigger date for Minnesota to either extend, trade or cut Hunter. Complicating matters is the fact he once again suffered a season-ending injury, but not before he compiled 31 quarterback pressures with an 80.8 overall grade through Week 8.
Hunter will still be just 27 years old in Week 1 of 2022 and is a force multiplier for any defense. The Bills used their first and second-round picks in 2021 on edge defenders Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham, but all three players can also kick inside and line up opposite guards. Hunter could be the final piece that puts the Bills’ roster over the edge.
Last but not least, a reunion with former Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs could help ease the transition for Hunter to a new franchise. However, it could be too hard for Adofo-Mensah to “sell low” on an elite pass-rusher.
Adding an elite pass rusher on top of the slew of younger ones Buffalo has could be a move that does put the Bills in a great spot. Naturally in a trade, there would be many moving parts to consider.
First, the compensation. At his age, Buffalo could get several years of top-notch production out of Hunter. Giving up a Round 2 selection plus a mid-round pick would be worth it.
Imagine giving away Boogie Basham or AJ Epenesa in a deal for Hunter? They were both second-round picks. Most would do that in a heartbeat.
Also making up for the loss of the fourth-round pick would be a couple of additional late-round picks the Bills hold at the upcoming draft. There would also be room for Hunter on the roster because Buffalo has a few pending free agents at defensive end, namely Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison.
The more complicated part might be adjusting Hunter’s deal. He would only be moved because he wants to be signed to an extension. The Bills would need to do this, but currently Buffalo is slightly over the 2022 salary cap of $208M.
Not only would Bills general manager Brandon Beane have to figure out how to get Hunter’s contract to fit in 2022, he would have to consider the cap ramifications looking ahead. The big thing is quarterback Josh Allen’s contract.
His cap hits will take up a big part of the salary cap equation in the future as he signed his long-term extension in Buffalo a year ago.
But with Beane, never say never. This exact deal appears to be one that could be of interest.
While Hunter does have some recent injury problems, the Bills have made some adjustments to their training staff which has helped their overall team health. Buffalo has been amongst the most-healthy NFL teams since Beane & Bills coach Sean McDermott came to town in 2017, and they could bank on that helping Hunter.
If Hunter was healthy in Buffalo, the Bills would be adding a two-time Pro Bowler and 2017 All-Pro who has notched three double-digit sack seasons. That’s a tempting addition to consider.
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