The Lions are expected to sign rival DE Danielle Hunter
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon predicted that Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions would sign Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
The Detroit Lions are expected to address the team’s weak passing defense this season.
However, Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon predicted the Lions would do so without having to leave the NFC North. Kenyon predicted the Lions would sign Minnesota Vikings defender Danielle Hunter to a three-year, $67 million contract.
Kenyon’s projection included a $51 million guarantee for Hunter. “Hunter has recorded 10+ sacks in five of his eight seasons and has posted a career-high 16.5 in 2023,” Kenyon wrote. “Its value has literally never been higher.
While this is bad (self-inflicted) financial timing for Minnesota, the NFC North rival Detroit Lions have a major pass rushing need lurking.Hunter was named a second-team All-Pro in 2018. He has also been a Pro Bowler in four of the last five seasons, including 2022 and 2023.
In 2023, Hunter recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks and led the NFL with 23 tackles for loss. He also had 22 quarterback hits and 4 forced fumbles.
How Danielle Hunter could fit in with the Lions Although he is 32 years old before his three-year contract expires, Hunter makes a lot of sense for Detroit.
The Lions ranked first in many pass rushing analytical categories last season, such as: B. Pressure rate, rush percentage and quarterback overthrow rate. However, they were 23rd with 41 sacks.
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill combined for 16.5 of those 41 sacks. No other Lions defender had more than 3.Landing Hunter would give the Lions a Pro Bowl-level edge against Hutchinson.
Hunter’s presence should increase Hutchinson’s level of play, which could lead to 30-35 sacks between just the two rushers. Hunter has reached double-digit sacks five times in his eight-year NFL career.
The only time in the last five years he didn’t exceed 10 sacks was in 2021, when he played just seven games. Heading into 2023, second-year defensive back James Houston should be the starting edge rusher to complement Hutchinson. But Houston missed most of the 2023 season with an ankle injury suffered in Week 2.
Houston could still play an important role in Detroit’s future. But that shouldn’t stop the Lions from pursuing an already elite edge rusher like Hunter.
After a career year filled with sacks, tackles, tackles and tackles for loss, Hunter could transform Detroit’s defensive line into one of the elite fronts in the NFL.
Will the Lions target edge rusher in the 2024 NFL Draft? On paper, Hunter is a great addition for the Lions.
The question is whether general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell see him as a fit for the team’s culture. Age can also be an issue. Hunter will turn 30 in October and may never repeat his 2023 stats.
Holmes made it clear during his postseason press conference that the team is not looking for short-term solutions, even if they are Super Bowl contenders in 2024.“Every move Dan and I make is made to maintain what we are building,”
Holmes told reporters on Feb. 5. “Every move, and I would argue, every move we make and every move we don’t make, is to maintain what we’ve built.” So while signing Hunter would certainly be a slam dunk, it’s worth asking whether the Lions would prefer to take a young edge rusher through the draft.
Early NFL mock drafts have the Lions linked to several edge rushers who could be available late in the first round. On Feb. 5, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein predicted Detroit would target Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson 29th overall.
Additionally, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic predicted the Lions would select Ohio State edge rusher JT Tuimoloau, while Dan Brugler of The Athletic predicted the Lions would grab Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. Detroit has also been linked to other positions in the first round, but the prospect of helping the team’s pass defense makes the most sense.
The Lions ranked 27th in passing yards allowed and 29th in net passing yards allowed per attempt last season. Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter who covers the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions for Heavy.com.
A Pittsburgh native, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including Fanside, Rotowire and Yardbarker. Learn more about Dave Holcomb
