Denver Broncos should pursue Pro Bowl pass rusher with front office connection

Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter and the Minnesota Vikings could be headed toward a divorce. The Denver Broncos make a lot of sense for his new destination. A recent report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler indicates that the Vikings, who drafted Hunter back in 2015, could be ready to move on from one of their best players.

Hunter, 28, does not want to play on his current contract and obviously wants an extension. He is set to make just $4.9 million on his base salary this season, which is a horrid underpay for someone who has consistently shown the ability to take down the quarterback. The Vikings drafted Hunter in the 3rd round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Denver Broncos GM George Paton was the Vikings' assistant GM at the time that Hunter was drafted.

Since being drafted, the three-time Pro Bowler has put up 71 sacks, 85 tackles for loss, and 112 QB hits in 102 career regular-season games. He was a very reliable player until 2020 when he missed the entire season, and he came back in 2021 to only play seven games.

However, he was a 17-game starter for them in 2022 and racked up another 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 22 QB hits. Hunter is not yet 29 years old and surely has a few strong years left in the tank. He's got a clear connection with Paton, who surely played a big hand in drafting him, and helps the Broncos fill a huge need.

Danielle Hunter has played with his hand in the dirt and as a stand-up pass rusher, so he's someone who could assume multiple roles in the defense. With the Broncos losing Eyioma Uwazurike to a year-long gambling suspension, and with Mike Purcell not ready for training camp, along with Baron Browning's injury, the Broncos have a huge reason to add to their defensive front.

In fact, they recently hosted an old friend, Shelby Harris, on a visit. He was a part of the Russell Wilson trade, so getting him back would be kind of sweet. Harris was also a very good player for the Broncos, so it wouldn't just be a feel-good story. Harris can still play at a high level. However, I think it's clear that Hunter is the better player and if the Broncos were to target one, it should be him.

What I find interesting is that there hasn't really been much talk about what it would cost to acquire Hunter. In a way, the Vikings may not have a ton of leverage, especially if Hunter decides he doesn't want to play on his current contract. Being that he is an aging player and the Vikings are looking to rebuild the roster a little bit, Minnesota might be at the mercy of the player here.

There's also no indication as to where Danielle Hunter would want to go. I'm sure he probably has a few teams in mind, but that information is not currently known. Should the Denver Broncos pursue Danielle Hunter?