Jaguars reportedly a ‘team to watch’ for free agent DE Danielle Hunter

The Jacksonville Jaguars were rumored to be interested in trading for Minnesota Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter before the 2023 season, and then again at the trade deadline. Now, once again the Jaguars are being linked to Hunter.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Hunter “will be hard for the Vikings to keep” with his contract set to expire next month. And the Jaguars are one of two teams that Fowler highlighted as potentially interested parties:

“Chicago could look to add a pass-rusher to complement Montez Sweat in free agency and is very high on Hunter. The Jacksonville Jaguars are another team to watch, though they have to figure out Josh Allen’s future.”

Given the amount of smoke surrounding Hunter joining the Jaguars in 2023, it’s not especially surprising that Jacksonville is being connected with the pass rusher in 2024. It does seem a less likely scenario now, though.

It made sense for the Jaguars to pick up the expiring contract of a star player as part of a push to win Super Bowl LXIII. After all, expectations were pretty high for Jacksonville during the 2023 offseason and they were still lofty when the Jaguars were 6-2 at the midseason trade deadline.

But now the team is working to find a way to keep both Josh Allen and Calvin Ridley while also addressing a list of needs that proved to be fatal flaws at the end of the 2023 season. Pass rushing depth is certainly an issue for the Jaguars, but is the team ready to commit another $20 million per year or so to add Hunter to a line that already has a pair of starting edge rushers in Allen and Travon Walker?

It’s never a bad idea to accrue pass rushers, especially after the Jaguars finished 25th in sacks. Opening the pocketbooks for one of the top free agents at the position doesn’t seem to make as much sense, though.