According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Minnesota Vikings and All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter have agreed to a reworked deal, with Hunter getting more money sooner in his contract than before. This follows the recent reports that the star edge rusher will indeed attend mandatory minicamp later this week for the Vikings.
The two-time Pro-Bowler missed all of the 2020 season for Minnesota after undergoing neck surgery in October. What appeared to be a minor injury at first turned out to be rather serious. Hunter suffered a neck injury at a non-padded practice during the month of August leading up to the season. What was initially described as a "tweak" was later revealed to be much worse after an MRI on Hunter's neck during the team's training camp. The injury turned out to be a herniated disc which would require surgery. Hunter was officially placed on injured reserve before Week 1 of the 2020 season. Following successful surgery, Hunter is now slated to return to provide a much-needed shot in the arm for a Minnesota defense that ranked 27th in the NFL in total yards given up and 29th in points allowed.
After being drafted out of LSU by the Vikings with the No. 88 overall pick in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Hunter quickly became one of the best players not only on the defensive side of the ball but on the entire team. Since 2015, Hunter has 276 total tackles, 67 tackles for loss, 54.5 sacks, 80 quarterback hits, one safety, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three pass deflections, and two defensive touchdowns under his belt in the 78 games he has played for Minnesota. During that time, Hunter has made First-Team All-Pro, Second-Team All-Pro, and two Pro Bowls.
Hunter also made the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team in 2015 with six sacks in his first season as a professional. Hunter took his game to another level the following year as he had 12.5 sacks. In both 2018 and 2019, Hunter has notched a whopping 14.5 sacks, earning recognition as one of the best pass rushers in the entire NFL at 26-years old now.