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Danielle Hunter Becomes 7th Vikings Player Named to 2023 Pro Bowl

Hunter is in as a replacement for Eagles OLB Haason Reddick, who is headed to the Super Bowl.
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The Vikings are up to seven players in the 2023 Pro Bowl. Outside linebacker Danielle Hunter is in as a replacement for the Eagles' Haason Reddick, whose team will be busy preparing for the Super Bowl.

This is Hunter's third Pro Bowl selection. He made it in both 2018 and 2019 after consecutive 14.5-sack seasons, played a total of seven games in 2020 and '21 due to separate season-ending injuries, and then bounced back with a strong 2022 campaign. Hunter played all 17 games and finished with 10.5 sacks, 65 total tackles, a forced fumble, and three passes defended.

Switching from defensive end to OLB in a 3-4 defense, Hunter had just three sacks in the first seven games of the season. He began to heat up as he got more comfortable in Ed Donatell's defense, racking up 7.5 sacks in the next eight games. He also recorded a sack in the Vikings' first-round playoff loss, his fourth consecutive postseason game with at least 1.0 sacks.

Pro Football Focus credited Hunter with 70 pressures on the season, tied for seventh-most in the league. He had 13 in the first five games of the season (2.6 per game) and 57 in the final 12 (4.75 per game). Hunter also had six pressures in the playoff loss.

Hunter, who turns 29 this October, has one year left on his contract, making him a potential extension candidate this offseason.

Hunter joins teammates Za'Darius Smith, Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Andrew DePaola, and Dalvin Cook in the Pro Bowl. The first five were selected initially, while Cook got in due to an injury to Tony Pollard. Now Hunter is in as a Super Bowl replacement.

The Vikings would've also had a seventh Pro Bowler if the 49ers had beaten the Eagles in the NFC championship game; C.J. Ham would've replaced Kyle Juszczyk at fullback.

The Eagles had a league-high eight Pro Bowlers, but Hunter is the Vikings' only replacement. Christian Darrisaw and Garrett Bradbury were second alternates, but top alternates Penei Sewell and Tyler Biadasz are in for Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce, respectively.

The three NFC OLBs in the Pro Bowl are Micah Parsons and the Vikings' Hunter and Smith.

As a reminder: there is no traditional Pro Bowl game this year. There will be skills challenges taking place on Thursday night and a flag football game on Sunday afternoon at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

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