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

There are 53 players on a football team, not one

Former Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgwater suffered a devastating injury during the summer of 2016. The following day, Mike Zimmer told a parable about his departed wife that inferred the sun always came up — even on the day after that tragic and emotionally-draining tribulation.

Losing a defensive end for some games is a low on the rattled-meter for Zimmer. There are 53 players on an active NFL roster and someone is always itching to replace the next man on the depth chart when the moment comes that his number is called. This is particularly applicable for players that make a living in the trenches, the offensive and defensive lines.

The only position on the field (other than special teams) that is not a member of a group on a football team is the quarterback. That’s probably why it is considered one of the only irreplaceable positions on a depth chart, especially when the backup quarterback is unproven.

This is not the case for defensive linemen. There is always another hungry player lying in wait.