4 Minnesota Vikings who are happy the 2020 season is over
By Dean Jones
Danielle Hunter – DE
Danielle Hunter came into the 2020 season looking to further establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass-rushers. His level of dominance over recent years has been there for all to see and there is little doubting his credentials at this juncture.
However, it has been a campaign that Hunter will want to forget in a hurry.
This had nothing to do with his production on the field, but rather due to a substantial injury that ended his season before it even began.
The former LSU standout suffered an injury prior to training camp that Mike Zimmer described as a “tweak,” but it was clear something was seriously amiss with the defensive end.
As it turned out, Hunter suffered a herniated disc that required season-ending surgery and an extensive period of rehabilitation. The Vikings are hoping their best edge rusher will be firing on all cylinders by the time competitive action rolls around in 2021 as they missed him terribly in 2020.
This past season, Minnesota’s defensive front managed to average just 1.4 sacks-per-game, which ranked 28th in the NFL and it is further proof of just what a vital cog Hunter is to the team’s defensive machine.
A few months ago, there was some speculation regarding Hunter’s displeasure with his current contract. But it appears unlikely there will be any movement in this regard with the player coming off such a serious injury and the Vikings’ expected salary-cap predicament.