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          Vikings' Danielle Hunter 'unrestricted' in return from neck surgery

          • Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 12, 2021, 04:52 PM ET
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              Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.

          EAGAN, Minn. -- Danielle Hunter's first practice 10 months removed from season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disc in his neck drew a close watch from his Minnesota Vikings teammates and coaches.

          Coach Mike Zimmer said Hunter looked “terrific” in his return to action. Defensive end Stephen Weatherly called his Pro Bowl teammate a “freak” who looked even better than the last time they played together.

          It didn’t take long for the 26-year-old Hunter to prove that there would be little holding him back as he worked to return to form after sustaining a neck injury that cost him the entire 2020 season. But until he got those live reps out of the way in pads, some were watching with baited breath.

          “To be honest with you, I was concerned the first day we went in pads,” assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson said. “I wanted to see what was going to happen. You’re a defensive lineman, you’re banging somebody every play. So the first day in pads was the day I wanted to see. Was he going to be timid when he put his face in there? And he was not. He looked like his normal self. After we had the first team rep, and it was a run play, and I saw him fit the run like he normally does, then it was all done for me.”

          Hunter said Thursday that everything came back to him the way he anticipated in returning to full contact. He also noted that he is "unrestricted" in his workouts and practice.

          “After the first practice, I was like there’s nothing for me to worry about,” Hunter said. "After that, everything felt normal and I was like, 'OK, I’m good now.

          “It’s definitely behind me. I put all that behind me. I’m just happy to come out here and be on the field with my teammates again and going at it again rushing the passer and playing the run blocks. I’m just happy to be out here.”

          Hunter did not participate in Wednesday’s joint practice with Denver and was not dressed at the beginning of Thursday’s session. While Zimmer said Hunter will get “some plays” in the preseason, Hunter did not say whether he’ll play on Saturday against the Broncos.