We’ve officially reached the point of the NFL offseason when holdouts become one of the most popular words on social media.
Following the news of Saquon Barkley’s holdout with the New York Giants, it now seems like Minnesota Vikings’ Danielle Hunter will take a similar approach to his contract situation.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the DE star will skip the mandatory minicamp, thus making him an official holdout ahead of the start of the season.
Three-time Pro Bowl DE Danielle Hunter plans to skip the #Vikings‘ Mandatory minicamp, per sources.
The sides haven’t seen eye-to-eye on a new contract. @RapSheet reported Minnesota has received trade calls, and now one of the NFL’s top pass rushers is officially a holdout. pic.twitter.com/GedTiRbIKt
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 12, 2023
Pelissero’s report adds that Hunter and the organization aren’t on the same page in terms of a new contract, and the team has reportedly fielded some trade calls about their star pass rusher.
The 28-year-old was one of the few bright spots in the Vikings’ subpar defense last season, so there should be no shortage of options as potential trade partners.
Back in 2018, Hunter signed a five-year extension worth $72 million, and his contract has been restructured twice ever since.
He’s now entering the final year of his contract and wants way more than the $5.5 million he’s due to make.
Notably, teams could choose to fine players over unexcused absences from mandatory minicamps.
Last year, the fine for missing the first day rose to $15,515, with $31,030 for the second day, and $46,540 for the third day.
The Vikings, however, are only on schedule for two days of mandatory training camp, so Hunter could be deducted over $46K for this decision, which is pretty much pocket change compared to what he could do with a new contract.
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