D.J. Wonnum knew Danielle Hunter watched Vikings games last year, because after almost every Sunday he'd receive a text or call detailing some teaching tip.
Now Wonnum, the second-year defensive end, is starting opposite Hunter while Everson Griffen and Stephen Weatherly come off the bench. They're the trio expected to set the edge with Hunter and uphold a standard of pass rushing that was lost last season. Otherwise, offenses could focus even more resources on stopping Hunter, who was the fastest NFL player to 50 career sacks, largely playing opposite Griffen.
"It's going to be really interesting to see this year, because he's always had Griff on the other side, you know what I mean?" defensive co-coordinator Andre Patterson said of Hunter. "It's going to be really interesting."
But Patterson likened the anonymity of young defenders Wonnum and Patrick Jones, a third-round draft pick, to the way it was with Hunter, who was once considered a reach in the draft as a third-round pick.
"That's what I'm trying to do again," Patterson said.
Coaches have turned first to Wonnum, making him the starter after a preseason competition with Weatherly, the veteran who re-signed with the Vikings this offseason. Wonnum's role has also diversified. He sometimes lined up at linebacker and generally dropped into coverage more often during training camp. Refining his pass rush has been a top focus after he had three sacks in a part-time role as a rookie.
"Offensive linemen in the NFL are different," said Wonnum, a fourth-round pick out of South Carolina. "You can't win off your first move most of the time. You've got to have counters, different moves, different plans going into games in order to win rushing the quarterback. [Learning] that my rookie year was a big teaching tool for me."
Coach Mike Zimmer's search for a better pass rush included a late reinforcement in Griffen, who at 33 years old returned just days before the preseason finale to be a situational rusher. He played just four snaps against the Chiefs, but he had a sack and a pressure, showing the juice he can bring on third downs.
"I've still got the burst, still got the speed," Griffen said. "Just have to go out there and get the reps back – the mental reps – just go out there and get in the mental flow of the game."
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson takes some pressure off the edges, as the former Pro Bowler should push the pocket from the middle. For the first time in his career, Richardson won't be a weekly NFL starter as he comes off the bench like Griffen. It's a far cry from last year's depth chart that produced a franchise-low 23 sacks.
"I feel pretty good about it," Zimmer said. "Danielle adds an extra special part to it, but Wonnum has done a nice job, and Weatherly and Sheldon. I think we're going to be OK with the pass rush."
