It's not often an NFL team that won 13 games the year before goes into rebuild mode, but the Minnesota Vikings appear to be straddling that fence.
Edge-rusher Za'Darius Smith was traded. Running back Dalvin Cook was released. And now another defensive star could be on the move.
As edge-rusher Danielle Hunter enters the last season of a five-year, $72 million contract, he wants a new deal. The Vikings aren't in any hurry to give him one. That has led to reports that he will skip mandatory minicamp. And others that more than one team has called Minnesota about trading for the three-time Pro Bowler.
Hunter won't come cheap. Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings would rather not trade their best edge-rusher and won't unless the price is right.
But just the possibility of obtaining an impact edge-rusher has more than a few teams wondering what they would be willing to give up for the eighth-year veteran.
For these six teams, it's a move that could be well worth the price.
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings receive: 2024 Round 2 Pick, 2025 Round 5 Pick
Kansas City Chiefs receive: Edge Danielle Hunter, 2024 Round 6 Pick
As mentioned, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler indicated that the Vikings don't really want to trade Hunter. He also said Minnesota's asking price would be steep, possibly a second-round pick and additional compensation.
That's a steep price—especially when you consider that teams looking for edge help could just sign Yannick Ngakoue off the open market without giving up anything.
However, Hunter's on a different level talent-wise than Ngakoue, and it's possible a few teams could be willing to pony up a second-rounder—if they genuinely believe Hunter could help them win a Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs just won their second in three years, but while the team has a promising second-year pass-rusher in George Karlaftis and spent a first-rounder on Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the addition of Hunter would be a major upgrade at a premium position—an upgrade worth a draft pick that will probably be outside the top 60 in 2024.
A defensive line of Hunter, Karlaftis, Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi would be among the most formidable in the NFL.
And the Chiefs would be one step closer to cementing their status as the league's latest dynasty.