Is the price for Danielle Hunter a mid-round draft pick?

There's some reputable reporters suggesting that a mid-round pick(s) is enough.

Danielle Hunter's name being in the trade rumor mill is nothing new, but the Vikings receiving anything short of a first-round pick for him seemed ludicrous until a couple of esteemed media outlets started suggesting a mid-round pick could be enough to get Minnesota to agree to a deal. 

In Albert Breer's mailbag at Sports Illustrated, he was asked what the "dream trade" for the 49ers would be. Breer responded by saying his dream 49ers trade would be "either giving up a third-rounder to get Danielle Hunter from the Vikings, or finding a way to add some offensive line help with a starting-level player that has guard-tackle flexibility."

Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus's Brad Spielberger made 10 trade suggestions and one of them is the Vikings sending Hunter to Jacksonville for a 2024 fourth-round pick, 2025 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Spielberger noted that Jacksonville could "explore an extension before Hunter’s contract voids next March."

As Purple Insider's Matthew Coller wrote on Wednesday, last year’s prices at the deadline suggest that only Pro Bowl-caliber players bring back future-changing draft capital. Linebacker Roquan Smith went to Baltimore for second and fifth-round picks, edge rusher Bradley Chubb went to Miami for a first and fourth and TJ Hockenson came to Minnesota for a second and third. In 2021, Von Miller was sent to the Rams for second- and third-round picks. 

Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Knowing that, why would Minnesota take anything less that what they paid for Hockenson? A third-rounder from the 49ers would undoubtedly be in the back of the third round, which is a pick in the late 80s or mid-90s. The fourth-rounders from Jacksonville are less enticing. 

Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman published a story at The 33rd Team on Thursday noting that Jacksonville would "benefit the most" as a trade partner for Hunter, though the Jaguars would need to free up some cap space or ask the Vikings to eat some of Hunter's salary to make a deal work. 

"Any NFL team in contention for a playoff berth and needs a push to get to the next level should take a strong look at trading for Minnesota Vikings DE Danielle Hunter," Spielman wrote.