4 Vikings players who will keep the 2020 season interesting
By Dean Jones
Danielle Hunter – DE
It might sound strange to pick a player who won’t see the field this season. But there could be a concerning situation developing between Danielle Hunter and the Minnesota Vikings.
The defensive end has missed the entirety of the campaign with a herniated disc that eventually required season-ending surgery, putting an end to Hunter’s exceptional run of form since he entered the league as a third-round pick.
Minnesota undoubtedly got a steal on two counts regarding Hunter. Taking the former LSU standout in the third-round was a shrewd move that paid off in spades and the contract extension the pass-rusher accepted looks way below his production at this juncture.
Therein lies the complication.
Hunter is reportedly looking to get paid more in keeping with those at the position who secured major money this offseason. This has the scope to put a significant spanner in the works for an organization that won’t have much in the way of financial resources available in 2021 given their precarious salary-cap situation, which leaves them between a rock and a hard place.
The player doesn’t exactly look the type to become too much of a disruption, especially as he has significant rehabilitation to focus on. However, the level of impact this could have on a defense that lost some prominent players this offseason cannot be understated.