The Vikings May Have Created Another 'Danielle Hunter Situation' This Season

Certain roles on the Minnesota Vikings have an aura around them. The third receiver spot invokes thoughts of Jake Reed and Jarius Wright. Kicker creates negative vibes, thanks to Blair Walsh and Gary Anderson. Even a conversation about fullbacks will cause some guy in a bar to spew memories of Jim Kleinsasser.

But sometimes, a spot that can never be filled gains its own reputation. For the Vikings, that spot is “The Next Danielle Hunter.”

The Vikings selected Danielle Hunter in the third round of the 2015 draft, and he became one of the biggest steals in franchise history. Hunter’s success motivated Minnesota to replicate the same formula. Many tried – from D.J. Wonnum to Tyus Bowser – but all failed.

But the Vikings may have finally found The Next Danielle Hunter this season. He’s a player who has already established himself as a franchise cornerstone and is ready to be rewarded. You couldn’t think of the Vikings without this guy, and he’s set to make a massive impact over the next decade.

I'm not talking about a project defensive lineman; I'm talking about Christian Darrisaw. While his recent contract extension ensures he’ll be in Minnesota for a long time, he's also at risk of becoming The Next Danielle Hunter.

Let’s put the spotlight back on Hunter for a minute. Hunter exceeded everyone’s expectations after not recording a sack at LSU, and the Vikings knew they had something special. Few players matched Hunter’s athletic ability, and he had the physique of a UFC fighter, generating attention before he became a full-time starter.

The Vikings were wise to lock Hunter into a five-year, $72 million contract extension before the 2018 season. Hunter provided tremendous value, notching 14.5 sacks and reaching the Pro Bowl in each of the first two years of the contract. Meanwhile, the value of edge rushers exploded across the league. Other players quickly buried Hunter in terms of annual average value, and Myles Garrett became the first edge rusher to earn a nine-figure contract.

Naturally, Hunter wanted his paycheck to reflect his talents. However, the Vikings had pressed themselves against the salary cap, and they couldn’t give him more money while also chasing a Super Bowl window into the late 2010s.

Things got messy. Hunter's neck injury knocked him out for the 2020 season, and the Vikings and Hunter patched the rest of the contract with one-year band-aids that gave Hunter more money upfront but never created a long-term solution. Hunter never got more than the original value of the contract outside of a renegotiated one-year, $17 million contract before last season and signed a two-year, $49 million contract with the Houston Texans this spring.

Hunter’s contract drama became just as big a sign of fall as the leaves changing colors and pumpkin spice lattes. However, this regime should aim to ensure that that doesn't happen.

Darrisaw agreed to a four-year, $104 million contract extension last month, which surprised many. Darrisaw was in the same position Justin Jefferson was in one year ago: a third-year player who had exceeded expectations to earn a contract extension. However, negotiations never reached the point of ear infections or TikTok videos suggesting trade destinations.

Ultimately, Darrisaw was happy to get the bag. With an average annual value of $26 million, he surpassed Houston’s Laremy Tunsil ($25 million) as the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL. However, that distinction only lasted nine days until Tristan Wirfs agreed to a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that carries a $28.1 million AAV.

Darrisaw’s contract also doesn’t kick in for another two seasons. By then, another wave of left tackles could get paid, leaving Darrisaw on the back half of the top five or even top 10.

That could change Darrisaw’s reaction from Holy f*** to Where’s my money? However, the good news for the Vikings is that there’s an easy way to avoid this.

In the past, the Vikings rewarded players who exceeded their contract value by giving them a new one. Adam Thielen is the biggest example. His 2016 breakout essentially terminated a four-year, $19.6 million deal and gave him a new four-year, $64.8 million contract before the 2019 season.

There is also a glaring example in the quarterback market. Patrick Mahomes raised eyebrows when he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. However, quarterback salaries have skyrocketed since then, and the Green Bay Packers recently signed Jordan Love for a record $55 million per year

The Chiefs designed Mahomes’s contract so they could spend money and build a better team around him. However, solving the problem required spending some more money. Kansas City gave Mahomes $208.1 million between the 2023 and 2026 seasons -- an average annual value of $52 million.

Darrisaw’s contract doesn’t have the same length. Still, the Vikings could shove more of that money toward the front end of the contract when it kicks in for the 2026 season and renegotiate when the guaranteed money runs out. It’s one way to keep Darrisaw happy, and it works. Considering Minnesota's salary cap situation -- it has $90.8 million available in the 2026 season -- Darrisaw's contract situation is much better than the one they were trying to navigate with Hunter.

Hunter’s contract got uglier than many expected, but the Vikings didn’t really have a solution to the problem. Darrisaw’s contract could create issues down the road. However, the Vikings have an easier path to keeping one of their franchise players happy. That will allow them to keep “The Next Danielle Hunter” as a mythical figure on the field instead of at the negotiation table.