The Las Vegas Raiders need help at the defensive end position but should they pursue defensive end Danielle Hunter?
By now, we’re all familiar with the poor production the Raiders received from their defensive ends. In particular, the lack of sacks and overall pressure in the passing game is concerning. Gus Bradley’s system will hopefully help the Raiders rebound but the defensive end positions will need to generate a lot more pressure for it to work. Adding a defensive end of Hunter’s caliber help alleviate the lack of pressure that crippled the Las Vegas defense.
Hunter spent this past year recovering from surgery to repair his herniated disk, missing the entire 2020 season. Before the surgery, Hunter was coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns for the Minnesota Vikings from 2018-2019. He amassed 29 sacks, 36 tackles for a loss, and 74 pressures during that stretch. The Raiders haven’t had anyone with nearly that level of production since they shipped off Khalil Mack.
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Would the Raiders give up that much capital for Hunter?
Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal posed the scenario for Raiders fans on Twitter. If indeed Hunter becomes available, would the Silver and Black pull the trigger but more importantly, what are they willing to give up? Bill Williamson of Silver and Black Pride believes it would take both a first-round pick and an expensive contract extension to land Hunter.
If you’re familiar with the Raiders, you know the team’s brass doesn’t ship off many draft picks. As far as a contract extension, they’re currently in the process of restructuring its roster with a series of cuts. What do you think, Raider Nation? Should the Raiders give up draft picks considering how badly the team has missed on first-round selections?
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*Top Photo: Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press
