NEWSLETTER
Danielle Hunter is a menace to opposing quarterbacks.
Chicago Bears fans know that all too well after watching the Minnesota Vikings standout rack up 87.5 sacks in 119 career games in a career that began back in 2015.
Perhaps, when the 2024 NFL season kicks off, he will be on the prowl sacking quarterbacks for the Bears instead of against them.
In a report before Super Bowl LVIII kicked off last Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Bears are “very high” on the Minnesota Vikings pass rusher who is on the cusp of free agency. And that bit of information piqued my interest.
“The sense I get here in Vegas is that Danielle Hunter will be hard for the Vikings to keep. He will have a very strong market, he turned 29 in October, and several teams had interest at the trade deadline. Chicago could look to add a pass-rusher to complement Montez Sweat in free agency and is very high on Hunter.”
Before you start printing those jerseys in Bears colors, Fowler mentions the Jacksonville Jaguars as another team to watch in these sweepstakes. Considering how the Jaguars probably need to figure out what they’re doing with their own free-agent-to-be pass rusher Josh Allen (not to be confused with the Buffalo Bills QB who has the same name) before they pursue an outside free agent. And with Fowler pointing out that multiple teams were trying to swing a deal at the NFL’s trade deadline in October, I expect there to be more than two teams in the mix. But I do expect the Bears to kick the tires.
Here we go again: Danielle Hunter is being linked as a possible Bears free agency target
Fowler isn’t the only one hearing about Chicago’s rumored interest.
During Thursday’s rendition of REKAP Rush Hour, David Kaplan also name-checks the D-lineman as someone this team could have an interest in bringing on board this offseason:
“Sources tell me considerable speculation is accurate that the Bears will pursue Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter, who is one of the top available players on the market. I was also told by a very good source the Bears actually pursued him last season talking trade when the Vikings considered moving him. Minnesota signed him to a one-year contract instead.
Between Kaplan and Fowler, we have two recent sources (one local, one national) linking the Bears and a top free agent. In a football world where rumors can run wild and come from all sorts of places, it is good to see some veteran reporters sharing similar reports when they hear things. To take it a step further, we technically have *THREE* reporters who have shared the buzz of the Bears’ interest in this particular player. Back in the summer, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported the Bears checked in with the Vikings in the offseason. This is what I jotted down back in August:
The more interesting name, to me, that RapSheet brings up in the video report is Danielle Hunter. Rapport doesn’t dig too deep there, but you might recall Hunter was on the trade block in Minnesota before agreeing to a reworked deal. Considering that the Bears will still likely have a long-term need at the defensive end position next offseason, we should probably store the Bears’ interest in Hunter in the back of our minds for future reference.
Isn’t it wonderful how things can come full circle? If you’ll recall, GM Ryan Poles was searching for pass rush help and the Vikings reportedly had their top pass-rusher on the trade block. I can imagine a call being made, but the asking price was too much to part with. After all, a trade between division rivals who had postseason aspirations in the preseason was always going to be a long shot.
Minnesota ultimately reworked the player’s deal to make him a free agent this offseason and Chicago landed on reeling in free-agent pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. Eventually, Poles traded for Montez Sweat to fortify the group. Now, it looks like Poles is in the market to give Sweat a formidable tag team partner. I can dig it.
Bears figure to be focused on fixing the trenches (again!)
All that to say this: Maybe they *WON’T* go after Hunter this offseason. No team ever gets every player they are connected to in a given offseason. Some teams even go empty. handed. So maybe instead of seeing this as a “Bears are getting Player X” post, let’s frame it as “the Bears are going into this offseason with the intent of making upgrades at the defensive end spot opposite of Montez Sweat” post.
When the Bears entered free agency with gobs of cap space last year, there was a consensus that the team would be hyper-focused on addressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines. We dreamed of splashy additions, but those never came to fruition. Instead, the team reeled in targets on the secondary tier of free agency. I imagine that history might repeat itself again in 2024 — and in more ways than one.
Firstly, I think the Bears (as they were last year) will be active in the free-agent market as they build out the roster this offseason. Secondly, I also feel as if the team will try to do so by landing players in the trenches (they signed two DL starters and a starting RG in free agency last spring). And, thirdly, I have a hunch that there will be some names we’re familiar with who pops up in connection with Chicago’s football team.
