Starting Defensive Ends: Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter
The Vikings come into the 2019 season with a pair of great defensive ends. While Danielle Hunter has been emerging as one of the brightest young edge defenders in the NFL, Everson Griffen will be looking to rebound from a lost 2018 that may have signaled a changing of the guard in the trenches.
Hunter stepped up for his best season yet in 2018, fresh off signing a lucrative contract extension before the season. The LSU product went out proved he was worth it (and then some) by racking up a career-high 14.5 sacks. In addition to finishing off the quarterback, his presence was an issue for opposing offensive lines outside of his sack totals. Pro Football Focus credited Hunter with 49 hurries (third in the NFL behind Jerry Hughes and Brandon Graham) and 67 quarterback pressures (tied for seventh with Myles Garrett).
Perhaps the scariest part of Hunters game to this point is that he’s only 24-years-old and won’t turn 25 until October 29. To put that in perspective, Hunter has racked up 40 career sacks, which ranks 20th all-time among players in sacks before their 25th birthday.
Take into consideration that Hunter was only a part-time player in his first couple years in the league and it’s terrifying about how good the former third-round pick can get. The Vikings will take what they are getting, but if he can turn his game up to another level in 2019, we may be looking at the best pass-rusher in the league.
Griffen’s 2018 took a much different tone on and off the field. After a 2017 season where he turned in one of the most dominating seasons of his career with a career-high 13 sacks, the Pro Bowler had to miss time to tend to his mental health after the Week 2 tie with the Green Bay Packers and he missed a good chunk of the season trying to get his life off the field back in order.
Once Griffen returned midway through the season, he didn’t seem like the same player. His 5.5 sacks were his lowest total since 2013 and his 15 hurries that Pro Football Focus credited him with were his lowest total since he had just 10 in 2011 as a part-time player.
Despite his sudden decline on the field, the Vikings are hoping for a rebound season from Griffen in 2019. He remains one of the leaders in the locker room and that may be part of the reason the team opted to restructure his contract last spring instead of simply showing him the door. With the emergence of Stephen Weatherly behind him, this will be an interesting season to see if the 31-year old can still be an impact player for the Vikings on the field.