10-11-2020, 05:34 PM
Former Vikings Pro Bowl nose tackle Henry Thomas said that Danielle Hunter should give serious consideration to not playing this season.
The Minnesota star defensive end has been on injured reserve all season with a herniated disk in his neck. It has been recommended by at least one doctor that he not play this year.
“He has to be (sensible) about it to know that, if you have to take the whole season, take the whole season,’’ Thomas said.
Hunter has been out since taking part in an Aug. 14 practice at training camp. He was placed on injured reserve just before the start of the regular season and will miss his fifth straight game Sunday night at Seattle.
Hunter’s personal trainer, James Cooper, confirmed to the Pioneer Press last week that a doctor at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, where Hunter went for a second opinion two weeks ago, recommended he not play this season. Cooper said he also has recommended that to Hunter.
Hunter, 25, has been resting the injury with the hope it will heal. Any possible surgery would entail a three-to-four-month recovery process.
“It’s a neck,’’ Thomas said. “I mean, we do everything with our head and shoulders and hands. And for a man that young, just starting to see huge success, it’s very hard to say you might want to sit out this year. You might say, ‘OK, it feels OK.’ But one go on the neck, you’re done. That’s bad.’’
Cooper said last week that Hunter was deciding whether he might want to sit out the entire season. Thomas realizes it might be a tough decision to make.
“Looking back on it, I know when I was that age, I wouldn’t want to sit out either, especially when your team is struggling,’’ Thomas said. “They’re not getting very much pressure (on opposing quarterbacks) and he was one of the pressure guys, and that kind of thing eats at you as you’re injured.’’
The Vikings (1-3) had just seven sacks in four games entering Sunday, putting them on pace for 28 this season. They had 48 last year, including 14 1/2 by Hunter and eight by four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Everson Griffen, who left to sign as a free agent with Dallas. They also no longer have two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Linval Joseph.
The Vikings do have defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who was acquired from Jacksonville on Aug. 31 and is tied for third in the NFL with four sacks. But there have been issues in replacing three of the four starters on the defensive line.
“When you’ve got new guys, their communication is not there,’’ Thomas said.
Thomas said the lack of pressure being provided by the line is making it even more difficult on Minnesota’s young cornerbacks. Put it all together, and the Vikings entered Sunday 29th in the NFL in total defense.
Thomas expects the Vikings to get better on defense. However, they might have to do it without Hunter.
https://www.twincities.com/2020/10/11/ex...ut-season/
The Minnesota star defensive end has been on injured reserve all season with a herniated disk in his neck. It has been recommended by at least one doctor that he not play this year.
“He has to be (sensible) about it to know that, if you have to take the whole season, take the whole season,’’ Thomas said.
Hunter has been out since taking part in an Aug. 14 practice at training camp. He was placed on injured reserve just before the start of the regular season and will miss his fifth straight game Sunday night at Seattle.
Hunter’s personal trainer, James Cooper, confirmed to the Pioneer Press last week that a doctor at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery, where Hunter went for a second opinion two weeks ago, recommended he not play this season. Cooper said he also has recommended that to Hunter.
Hunter, 25, has been resting the injury with the hope it will heal. Any possible surgery would entail a three-to-four-month recovery process.
“It’s a neck,’’ Thomas said. “I mean, we do everything with our head and shoulders and hands. And for a man that young, just starting to see huge success, it’s very hard to say you might want to sit out this year. You might say, ‘OK, it feels OK.’ But one go on the neck, you’re done. That’s bad.’’
Cooper said last week that Hunter was deciding whether he might want to sit out the entire season. Thomas realizes it might be a tough decision to make.
“Looking back on it, I know when I was that age, I wouldn’t want to sit out either, especially when your team is struggling,’’ Thomas said. “They’re not getting very much pressure (on opposing quarterbacks) and he was one of the pressure guys, and that kind of thing eats at you as you’re injured.’’
The Vikings (1-3) had just seven sacks in four games entering Sunday, putting them on pace for 28 this season. They had 48 last year, including 14 1/2 by Hunter and eight by four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Everson Griffen, who left to sign as a free agent with Dallas. They also no longer have two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Linval Joseph.
The Vikings do have defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who was acquired from Jacksonville on Aug. 31 and is tied for third in the NFL with four sacks. But there have been issues in replacing three of the four starters on the defensive line.
“When you’ve got new guys, their communication is not there,’’ Thomas said.
Thomas said the lack of pressure being provided by the line is making it even more difficult on Minnesota’s young cornerbacks. Put it all together, and the Vikings entered Sunday 29th in the NFL in total defense.
Thomas expects the Vikings to get better on defense. However, they might have to do it without Hunter.
https://www.twincities.com/2020/10/11/ex...ut-season/
