The Minnesota Vikings currently sit at 4-4 and second place in the NFC North, but they have lost quarterback Kirk Cousins for the season due to a torn Achilles, which could usher in the process-oriented rebuild sooner than expected.
It could very well be in the team's best interest to trade star pass-rusher Danielle Hunter, who is playing on an expiring contract.
Here are three contending teams who should make a move for the three-time Pro Bowler.
3. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore leads the AFC North with a 6-2 record and is tied with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami Dolphins for the conference lead. Lamar Jackson is playing some excellent football, and the team boasts one of, if not the best defense in the entire league.
The Ravens lead the NFL in sacks with 31, but their group of edge defenders (Jadeveon Clowney, Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, and David Ojabo) have combined for only 8.5 of those. Injuries have affected the group, which makes trading for Hunter all the more wise. Hunter is tied for the league lead in sacks, and has collected at least one in seven of the eight games he's appeared in.
Adding more consistent pressure to the defense would make Baltimore's unit all the more dangerous, and for a team with a healthy stockpile of assets and a wide-open Super Bowl window, Hunter makes a lot of sense.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are not having as much success as the Ravens, and are still dealing with the loss of Chandler Jones, who was released earlier this season while dealing with legal and mental health issues. That thrust rookie first-round pick Tyree Wilson into a larger-than-anticipated role, and his expected rawness has been evident.
Adding Hunter to take over opposite Maxx Crosby would give Las Vegas one of the most potent pass-rushing duos in the league, and would serve to improve a defense that is currently ranked toward the top of the league in yards allowed, but near the bottom in sacks. That implies there is unreached potential for this group, and Hunter could help unlock it as the team attempts to make a playoff push during the second half of the season.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville has been patient, and it seems like the process is finally paying off this season. The Jags are 6-2, first in the AFC South, and will make the playoffs if they keep this level of play up. Trevor Lawrence will naturally garner much of the fame, and for good reason. The defense, however, is a mixed bag that is excellent in some areas, and middle-of-the-pack in others. They rank in the bottom third in sacks, which is where Hunter could help.
Josh Allen is having an excellent season, but former first-rounders K'Lavon Chaisson and Travon Walker have not had the impact that Jacksonville was hoping for. Hunter would take some pressure off of them and form a formidable pairing with Allen that could aid in taking this defense, and this team, to the next level.
