7 reasons why the Vikings shouldn’t panic about Danielle Hunter’s injury

Is all hope lost now that Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter is injured?

After significant uncertainty amid the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic, the Minnesota Vikings will finally take the field at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis this Sunday. The Vikings will play host to a familiar group as the Green Bay Packers line up opposite the purple and gold.

In this Week 1 match-up, the Vikings are favored by 2.5 points. As evidenced by the over/under of 46.5, oddsmakers forecast that Minnesota will win the interstate showdown by a score of 24-21 or so.

But the Vikings received a hefty uppercut to the chin on Wednesday. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Danielle Hunter was planted on the team’s injured reserve list for at least three games with an apparent neck injury.

Hunter missed a few weeks of practice this summer and whispers were abound that the 25-year-old’s ailment was more serious than head coach Mike Zimmer was leading on.

For the most part, the whispers were foretelling. Hunter’s “tweak” is one that will cause him to miss about 20 percent of the season, at a minimum. Zimmer will turn to pass-rushers Yannick Ngakoue and Ifeadi Odenigbo in Hunter’s absence.

With these two men in the holster, Vikings faithful need not panic and there are multiple reasons to explain why.