The Chicago Bears flipped the script on their season defensively halfway through last season thanks in large part to the addition of edge rusher Montez Sweat.
As they continue building out the roster, the Bears could have their eyes on a potential bookend.
?The sense I get here in Vegas is that Danielle Hunter will be hard for the Vikings to keep,? ESPN?s Jeremy Fowler wrote on February 10. ?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.?
Bears ‘Very High’ on Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, NFL Insider Says
Bears Boosted Pass Rush With Montez Sweat
Not only did the Bears trade for Sweat, General Manager Ryan Poles also signed him to a four-year, $98 million contract extension.
Spotrac projects Hunter to command a contract worth $20 million annually.
The Bears already have the seventh-highest amount of the salary cap tied to their defensive line next season. Adding Hunter at that projection would vault them to No. 1 over the San Francisco 49ers, who will likely lose Chase Young ? another potential Bears target ? when free agency opens on March 13.
The Bears have the seventh-most cap space going into the offseason. But they also have to figure out Jaylon Johnson and Justin Jones? respective situations, among other things.
Hunter said that he wanted to return but also acknowledged his time in Minnesota may be over.
Nice sack by Danielle Hunter here, going right through LT Taylor Decker to get to Goff.
Incredible season from Hunter, I really hope the Vikings can find a way to bring him back next year. 16.5 sacks and amazing effort all year. pic.twitter.com/ZXabM2T9i8
— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) January 12, 2024
Danielle Hunter Looking for ‘Best Available’ in Free Agency
?Just letting everything play its course. I did my job. Everything?s in my agent?s hands and my team ? and whomever it is that?s out there,? Hunter said, per NFL.com?s Grant Gordon on February 2. ?My job, like I said, is to do my job. And I?m gonna make sure I stay in shape and whatever is best available for me, I?ll take that.?
Hunter?s 16.5 sacks in 2023 set a new career high. But it was the 6-foot-5 EDGE?s second consecutive season with double-digit sacks and the fifth time in his eight-year career.
No Bear has logged 10-plus sacks in back-to-back seasons since Hall of Famer Julius Peppers in 2011-2012, per Stathead. Before that, it was Roosevelt Colvin in 2001-02. No Bear has recorded double-digit sacks since Robert Quinn set the single-season franchise record (18.5) in 2021.
Sweat logged double-digit sacks for the first time last season (12.5).
But only 6.0 were in a Bears uniform, while Jones finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks and fellow free-agent-to-be Yannick Ngakoue third with 4.0 in 13 games.
Ngakoue finished the season on injured reserve with a broken ankle and is a free agent.
DeMarcus Walker was one of several #Bears players who voiced their support for Yannick Ngakoue amid his season-ending ankle injury. #DaBears
Full vid: https://t.co/23Dopk0Ee5 pic.twitter.com/mlvAsXh3lC
— Clocker Sports (@ClockerSports) December 14, 2023
Bears Could Face Stiff Competition in Potential Pursuit of Danielle Hunter in Free Agency
If Poles deems it worth going after Hunter, he will likely have to beat out several notable contenders for the four-time Pro Bowler?s services. The Vikings likely remain at the top of the list. However, Fowler?s colleague, Dan Graziano, notes Hunter is behind Kirk Cousins in terms of priority for Minnesota.
?The Jacksonville Jaguars are another team to watch, though they have to figure out Josh Allen’s future,? Fowler wrote.
Jacksonville also has just $17.2 million in cap space to the Bears? $49.1 million.
The Dallas Cowboys could also be a threat after hiring Mike Zimmer as their new defensive coordinator. Zimmer was the Vikings head coach when Hunter was drafted in 2015 (No. 88 overall) through the 2021 season.