Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter was named the most underrated player by Pro Football Focus.
Recently, Hunter picked up another honor from PFF: being ranked the No. 50 best player in the NFL heading into the 2020 season.
The PFF 50. Counting down the top 50 players in the NFL heading into 2020.
No. 50: Danielle Hunter pic.twitter.com/CuuD8Fi51H
— PFF (@PFF) May 30, 2020
In 2019, Hunter, 25, became the youngest NFL player to get to 50 sacks for his career. He finished 2019 with 14.5 in total, the second consecutive year he’s had that sack total.
Not only that, but he also helped the Vikings with their cap situation this offseason. Hunter signed a renegotiated contract, lowering his cap hit for 2020 and converting $8 million of his $10.9 million 2020 base salary into a signing bonus, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported.
More needs to be asked of Hunter in 2020 with the likely departure of defensive end Everson Griffen. Now, Hunter will have to produce at a similar rate, without an experienced pass rusher playing opposite to him on the defensive end.
Here’s to hoping defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, or someone else, can rise to the occasion and help ease the pressure off Hunter on the defensive line.