Hunter is slated to sign a two-year deal with the Texans, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, one of the top available free agents on the market will have $48 million guaranteed over the course of the two-year deal. Hunter spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Vikings, delivering double-digit sacks in five of them including a career-high 16.5 in 2023. He'll join a group of pass rushers in Houston that includes 2023 first-round pick Will Anderson and fellow offseason pickup Denico Autry.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Posts career highs
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Hunter recorded 83 tackles (54 solo), 16.5 sacks, two passes defended and forced four fumbles during the 2023 season.
Hunter earned a new one-year contract as training camp got underway after holding out during minicamp and he spent this past season proving he deserved it. The 29-year-old earned his fourth selection to the Pro Bowl team while logging career highs in tackles, sacks and forced fumbles. The LSU product is not under contract for next offseason and will be looking to get paid again. Considering his talent, he could be a candidate for the franchise tag, if he's unable to reach a long-term deal with the Vikings.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Three tackles in loss
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Hunter finished Sunday's 33-10 loss to the Packers with three tackles (one solo).
Hunter played six snaps on special teams in addition to his 62 defensive snaps Sunday. He has 17 tackles (seven solo), including 2.0 sacks, since the Vikings' Week 13 bye. With one game left in the regular season, Hunter has set career highs in total tackles (77), sacks (15.5) and forced fumbles (four) over 16 games.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Upgrades to limited work
Rotowire
Hunter (illness) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Hunter's illness seems to be getting better, as he's gone from recording a DNP on Wednesday to logging a limited practice session Thursday. The star edge rusher will likely carry an injury designation into Week 16's divisional matchup against the Lions unless he's able to practice in full Friday.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Gets two sacks in loss
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Hunter recorded five tackles (three solo), including two sacks, in Saturday's 27-24 overtime loss at Cincinnati.
Hunter found his way into the sack column for the 11th time in 14 games this season Saturday, and he managed more than one sack for the fourth time this year. His 15.5 sacks so far in 2023 is already a career-high total with three games still left to play.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Has 1.5 sacks in loss
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Hunter had nine total tackles, 1.5 sacks and three QB hits in Monday's loss to Chicago.
Hunter has 13.5 sacks this season but is also contributing elsewhere with a career-high 5.0 tackles per game (for a full season) and two passes defensed.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Records nine stops in win
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Hunter racked up nine tackles (five solo), including one for loss, in Sunday's 31-28 Week 9 victory versus the Falcons.
Hunter's tackle total was a season high and ranked second on the Vikings behind Jordan Hicks. That helped the veteran post another strong IDP performance despite the fact that he didn't record a sack for just the second time through nine games this season. Hunter leads the NFL with 10 sacks on the campaign.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Another two sacks in win
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Hunter seven total tackles, including two sacks, and a pass defensed in Sunday's win at Chicago.
Hunter has eight sacks in six games as he continues to be among the league's best pass rushers when healthy. He's also doubling his rate of tackles to 5.2 per game, up from 2.7 per game last season.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Unlikely to be at offseason program
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Hunter is not expected to attend the start of the Vikings' voluntary offseason program, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Hunter is coming off of a 10.5-sack season in 2022, potentially feeling like he's due for a pay increase. The defensive lineman is due to make $4.9 million in 2023, which is far below market value for the production he had last season. It's unclear how long the three-time Pro Bowler could hold out for, but it's certainly a negotiation process to keep an eye on.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Solid bounce back in 2022
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Hunter racked up 65 tackles (46 solo), including 10.5 sacks, and three passes defended while playing all 17 games in the 2022 regular season.
Hunter returned to play every game this season after he was limited to just seven appearances in 2021 due to a season-ending pectoral injury. The 28-year-old also finished with double-digit sacks for the first time since 2019 after being paired up with fellow veteran edge rusher Za'Darius Smith this season. While this pairing did not result in the most productive overall pass rush for Minnesota, they both finished with 10 or more sacks in 2022. Hunter will now enter the final stretch of his five-year, $72 million contract in 2023.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Tallies seven stops, two sacks
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Hunter recorded seven tackles (five solo), including two sacks, and a forced fumble in Saturday's 27-24 win over the Giants.
Hunter's pass-rushing skills were on full display this past weekend versus New York, as the veteran linebacker jarred the ball loose on one of the two sacks he registered in the game. With a New Year's Day matchup against the Packers up next, Hunter figures to continue serving as one of Minnesota's key defensive contributors in Week 17.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Cleared Saturday
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Hunter (neck) is good to go for Saturday's game against the Colts.
Hunter drew a questionable tag due to a neck issue, but the expectation during the week was that he would ultimately be cleared. Thus, barring any setbacks, look for him to take on his usual workload at weakside linebacker opposide Za'Darius Smith.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Should play Saturday
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Hunter (neck) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Colts, but head coach Kevin O'Connell feels good about his chances to play, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
It's unclear when Hunter suffered the injury, but he did play a season-low 66 percent of the team's defensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Lions. His ability to take the field would be good news for Minnesota, but if he is ultimately ruled out, Patrick Jones would likely find himself with increased opportunities against Indianapolis.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Two sacks in comeback win
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Hunter seven tackles (four solo), including two sacks, during Sunday's 20-17 victory over the Commanders.
Hunter logged his second sack of the game as he brought down quarterback Taylor Heinicke for a crucial nine-yard loss on Washington's second-to-last drive, helping to seal the Vikings' comeback win in the fourth quarter. The 28-year-old also logged season highs in both tackles and sacks in this contest. Hunter has now recorded 37 tackles (27 solo), five sacks and two passes defended through eight games in 2022, and he'll look to affect star quarterback Josh Allen this coming Sunday against Buffalo.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Records sack in season debut
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Hunter had a sack, two quarterback hurries and three total tackles in Sunday's win over Green Bay.
After back-to-back campaigns with at least 14 sacks, Hunter missed the 2020 season with a neck injury and played only seven games last year due to a pectoral injury. It was a good sign to see him return to his prior form and be a big factor in the pass rush. His health could be key to Minnesota's season.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Says he's healthy heading into 2022
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Hunter (pectoral) said he's healthy following Tuesday's workout and claimed he could've returned last year if the Vikings had made the playoffs, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
After back-to-back campaigns with at least 14 sacks, Hunter played only seven games last year due to a pectoral injury. There were talks of the Vikings potentially moving on from the talented pass rusher after his injury-plagued campaign, but Minnesota has elected to hold onto their 2015 third-round pick to see if he can get back on track in 2022.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Reinstated from reserve/COVID-19
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Hunter (pectoral) was reinstated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday and shifted back to injured reserve, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Hunter was moved to the COVID-19 list Dec. 14, but he will now return to the team, though he'll remain on IR for the rest of the season. The defensive end will continue rehabbing his pectoral injury and try and be ready for the beginning of the 2022 season.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Moves to COVID list
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Hunter has shifted from injured reserve to the Vikings' reserve/COVID-19 list, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports.
Hunter was placed on the IR in early-November after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. So, his season is still over, and he will revert back to IR once he can clear the league's COVID protocols.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Shifts to injured reserve
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Hunter (pectoral) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Hunter was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle during Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, and he's now officially on injured reserve. Rookie D.J. Wonnum is likely to move into a starting role in the wake of Hunter's injury.
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Vikings' Danielle Hunter: Three sacks in loss
Rotowire
Hunter had three sacks and seven total tackles in Sunday's loss at Arizona.
Hunter has four sacks in two games as he looks back to his 2019 form after missing last season due to neck surgery.
