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Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter has not looked like his former Pro Bowl self — and it’s likely not due to coming back from surgery.
The two-time Pro Bowler showed he could come back from neck surgery in 2021 and was one of the most effective edge rushers in the league through six games — averaging five pressures per game and tallying six sacks.
Neck injuries can be potentially devastating to NFL players’ careers, however, Hunter came back his normal self before a torn pectoral muscle injury shut down his 2021 season.
But there was still plenty of optimism this offseason for Hunter coming back from a less serious operation.
However, through four games, Hunter’s posted just one sack and seven hurries four weeks — a drastic difference from the five sacks and 16 hurries he had in the first month of the 2021 season. His 5.6% pressure rate ranks 102nd in the NFL, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell came to Hunter’s defense that most edge rushers shifting from a 4-3 base scheme to a 3-4 scheme take time to get adjusted.
“Every guy that’s ever made that transition, the first month looks about like that,” Donatell said in an October 6 press conference. “That’s pretty normal. There’s a getting used to this role. Very, very normal. But we’re very glad to have him, OK? Let’s make that clear.”
But one Vikings analyst isn’t buying Donatell’s defense.
Danielle Hunter Has Played Standing Up Before
On an October 7 airing of the SKOR North podcast, Judd Zulgad, who covered Donatell as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator in the early 2000s, Zulgad struck down Donatell’s defense that Hunter has struggled with the transition to a base 3-4 scheme and playing as a stand-up outside linebacker.
“Give me a break,” Zulgad said. “First of all, Danielle Hunter in training camp talked about how he has stood up before and played. This is not new. The scheme is new, I get that… I’m just wondering if [Donatell] is the best guy to install [Vic Fangio’s defense].”
A disciple of former Vic Fangio, Donatell has adopted his mentor’s defense for the past decade and its effectiveness was evident in Fangio’s time as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator (2011-14), Chicago Bears defensive coordinator (2015-18) and Denver Broncos head coach (2019-21). Fangio fielded five top-five defenses and seven defenses that ranked inside the top-10 in both scoring and yards allowed over the past 11 years.
However, Donatell hasn’t seen the same string of success. He’s had just one top-10 season in yards allowed in 11 years as a defensive coordinator. He has posted three top-10 scoring defenses, however, two of those came while working under Fangio in Denver.
Should the Vikings Move Back to a 4-3 Scheme?
Donatell’s best defense in the 2001 Packers allowed the fifth-fewest points in the league and ranked second in takeaways — back when he used to run a 4-3 base scheme.
And while the Vikings boast a 3-1 record, the defense has hemorrhaged yards by playing a soft-shell coverage and not getting pressure to the opposing quarterbacks often enough.
That begs the question of whether the Vikings defense in 2022 would be better reverting back to the 4-3 base scheme after its eight-year construction under Mike Zimmer.
While the new regime added some new veteran pieces in Harrison Phillips, Za’Darius Smith and Jordan Hicks, most of the players rostered were selected to play in Zimmer’s defense.
Donatell admitted there’s not a considerable difference in Hunter’s case, however, his stats beg to differ.
“It’s not a total adjustment,” Donatell said. “There are some things that are likeness and sameness to him, so it’s not a total (adjustment). It’s really, when we’re in our odd spacing against base people, where he’s standing up. You’ll see him maybe go down sometimes. But the biggest thing, he’s not packed into that front, inside a tight end and a tackle. He doesn’t have to do that. He’d probably be the first guy to say he likes this role better from the edge. But again, it’s so early. You’re not gonna find a harder worker, a higher character guy, a guy that cares more about the team.”
Hunter, who has strong right tackles the first month of the season should have easier challenges on the edge the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, many members of the defense have touted their excitement playing in Donatell’s scheme that relies on instinct.
“I think the defense is going to be a night and day difference in my opinion. Just to have the opportunity to line up and play football,” Peterson said on the All Things Covered podcast this offseason. “There’s not many checks. Not many audibles. We’re forcing teams to beat us. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel and come up with all these crazy blitzes, crazy zones, Line up and play football. At the end of the day that’s all you can do. Teams are going to move the ball up and down the field — just don’t allow them to score touchdowns. If you eliminate that, you’re going to have a great chance of winning. The scheme that we have, it’s going to put us in a position to successful from all levels [of the defense].”
While the defense is allowing 11 more yards per game (394.5) than last year, season, Peterson’s words have rung true with the unit bending, not breaking, so far this season — ranking 13th in points allowed per game (20.0).
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