Danielle Unhappy With Contract

[Rhodes Closed]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... -contract/

There’s a risk to signing a great player quickly to a good-not-great contract. The player quickly may realize he’s underpaid.

That’s happened with Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter. According to Chad Graff of TheAthletic.com, Hunter isn’t happy with the contract he signed in 2018. He’s reportedly considering all options — holding out, seeking a trade, or hiring a new agent.

Hunter, since the posting of the article by Graff, has pledged public loyalty to his current agency. However, Hunter did not rule out a holdout or a trade demand.

For now, the frustrations have remained private. Per Graff, Hunter “has expressed his frustrations to multiple people,” as he considers his next move.

His deal averages $14.4 million per year. That amount became glaring when the Chargers signed pass rusher Joey Bosa to a deal worth $27 million per year last August.

Complicating matters is the neck injury that began as a “tweak” and ended with surgery that kept him from playing in 2020.

This isn’t an ideal year to be seeking more money, from the Vikings or anyone. The cap is significantly down, and there are plenty of pass rushers available. Shaq Barrett, the top guy in the free-agency class, is reportedly getting a base average of $17 million per year on his new deal with the Bucs, signed as the free-agency negotiating window opened.

Hunter’s best play could be to return in 2021, show that he’s still the guy he was, and then make a play for more.

Now isn't the year to be doing this Danielle, especially after coming off a major neck injury. I'm sorry but Hunter doesn't have any real leverage right now. Wait a year and then make some demands, please, for the good of everybody.

[VikingLord]

Leverage or not, this gets tiring after a while.

I get it that pro athletes take a lot of physical risks and generally have short careers and need to maximize their pay.

But I have two problems with players like Hunter:

- He signed the original contract. With the services of a professional agent. Sure, maybe he didn't know he'd do better than he expected or other defensive ends would ink even bigger deals, but come on, man. In the real world contracts generally don't get rewritten just because in hindsight one side believes they should have or could have negotiated a better deal.
- How much is enough? He didn't even play last year. Yeah, the Vikings couldn't generate a pass rush last year and yeah, Hunter has done well, but when it comes to these pro contracts, how much is enough? $14 million a year isn't enough for what Hunter does and contributes? Really? He needs more than that to do what he does? I'd love to see what Hunter could get in the normal world working a normal job like almost everyone else.

This is a lot like the Dalvin Cook situation, except in my view it's worse because Hunter is playing on his second contract. Cook could at least argue he was producing well beyond his rookie deal and that deal would have been up soon anyway. But Hunter? He played out his rookie deal. Everyone knew what he'd done to that point and what he was likely to do going forward. And yet he's still not happy.

Spielman should trade him. Yeah, I know the Vikings "need" a pass rush, but it's not like Hunter is the only guy they can get who will provide that for them. Hunter has value and should fetch solid compensation. Maybe it works out and maybe it doesn't, but I'd rather loose malcontents than either "force" them to play and possibly infect the team with their poor me-first attitude or let any single player communicate to other players that the tail can wag the dog and get away with it. If Hunter is "liking" trade rumors then I'd find a way to give him what he likes.

[RandyMoss84]

Bye bye Hunter

[CharVike]

This comes down to what the return is. It looks like there are plenty of quality prospects at the QB position in this draft. I like the kid from Bama Jones. If trading Hunter can get us him then he needs to go. Even if it takes Hunter and Barr and whatever else do it. QBs are hard to come by and nobody know this better than all of us. Of course that will never happen so whatever the want to do go for it. We will probably be offered a 2nd and a bunch of 7ths over the next 5 years and he will go for it.

[Boon]

It does get old. Just because the chargers paid bosa qb money doesn't mean he reset the market. Means they just overpaid, plain and simple.