Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!
Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.
As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.
Background
Name: Danielle Hunter
Rank: 3
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 263 lbs
Experience: 9th year
College: LSU
Stats (In NFL): 102 games played, 73 starts, 379 tackles, 73.0 sacks, 112 quarterback hits, 85.0 tackles for loss, 6 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 touchdowns, 1 safety
Votes:
Tyler Forness: 3
Kevin Fielder: 3
Judd Zulgad: 3
Saivion Mixson: 3
Average: 3.00
Best case scenario
Hunter is put into better positions than he was in 2023 to be the dominant edge rusher he can be.
Yes, Hunter had 10.5 sacks and tied for eighth in the league with 76 pressures. He figured out how to produce with Ed Donatell putting him in poor situations. Brian Flores is going to work hard to maximize Hunter and his dominant pass rushing ability.
Worst case scenario
Injuries or his contract will prevent him from playing any or all of 2023.
Hunter had a season-ending neck injury in 2020 and a torn pectoral muscle in 2021. Those kept him from playing 26 of a possible 33 games. Along with his injury history, Hunter is only due $5.5 million in cash this year in the last year of his contract and has already skipped mandatory minicamp. Those could keep him out of multiple games this season.
What to expect in 2023
Expectations are that the Vikings and Hunter will figure out a contract for at the very least this season. Once that gets figured out, Hunter will flourish in this defense. Flores will line him up everywhere on the defense to take advantage of advantageous matchups. A 15-sack season could easily be in Hunter’s future.
Previous player profiles
90-Garett Maag
89-Jack Podlesny
88-Zach Ojile
87-NaJee Thompson
86-Thayer Thomas
85-Sam Schluter
84-Jaelyn Williams
83-Jacky Chen
82-Cephus Johnson III
81-C.J. Coldon Jr.
80-Junior Aho
79-Malik Knowles
78-Abraham Beauplan
77-Wilson Huber
76-Lucky Jackson
75-Andre Carter II
74-Curtis Weaver
73-T.J. Smith
72-Alan Ali
71-Josh Sokol
70-Blake Proehl
69-John Reid
68-Trishton Jackson
67-Kalon Barnes
66-Benton Whitley
65-Calvin Avery
64-Theo Jackson
63-William Kwenkeu
62-Sheldon Day
61-Tay Gowan
60-Ross Blacklock
59-Vederian Lowe
58-Jaren Hall
57-Nick Muse
56-Ivan Pace, Jr
55-Jalen Reagor
54-Luiji Vilain
53-Austin Schlottmann
52-Troy Dye
51-Olisaemeka Udoh
50-Nick Mullens
49-Kene Nwangwu
48-DeWayne McBride
47-Jaquelin Roy
46-Jay Ward
45-Brandon Powell
44-Troy Reeder
43-James Lynch
42-Greg Joseph
41-Johnny Mundt
40-Blake Brandel
39-Mekhi Blackmon
38-Chris Reed
37-Joejuan Williams
36-Ryan Wright
35-Esezi Otomewo
34-Jalen Nailor
33-Ty Chandler
32-Jonathan Bullard
31-D.J. Wonnum
30-Patrick Jones II
29-Andrew DePaola
28-Ed Ingram
27-Lewis Cine
26-Garrett Bradbury
25-C.J. Ham
24-Josh Metellus
23-Andrew Booth Jr.
22-Akayleb Evans
21-Jordan Hicks
20-Camryn Bynum
19-Khyiris Tonga
18-Dean Lowry
17-Brian Asamoah
16-Alexander Mattison
15-Jordan Addison
14-Josh Oliver
13-Ezra Cleveland
12-K.J. Osborn
11-Harrison Phillips
10-Marcus Davenport
9-Byron Murphy Jr.
8-Ben Sims
7-Kirk Cousins
6-T.J. Hockenson
5-Harrison Smith
4-Brian O’Neill
