Danielle Hunter breakout appears imminent

Hunter has been slow to go but that has a lot to do with the competition.

Why so quiet, Danielle Hunter?

The freaky-athletic Minnesota Vikings edge rusher hasn't made much noise four games into the season and it's drawing worries from a fan base that was expecting Hunter and Za'Darius Smith to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. 

Instead, Hunter has 1 sack and just 7 QB hurries through four games. For perspective, he had 5 sacks and 16 hurries through four games last season. So what gives?

For one, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said Thursday that it always takes time to go from a 4-3 base defense to the 3-4, edge rusher role Hunter's in now. 

"Every guy that's ever made that transition, this first month looks a lot like that. It's pretty normal," Donatell said. "There's a getting used to this role."

But it also probably has a lot to do with facing three consecutive elite right tackles. 

After battering Elgton Jenkins in the first game of the season, Hunter has lined up on the left side of Minnesota's defense and gone to battle with Lane Johnson, Penei Sewell and Ryan Ramczyk. 

Among the 61 offensive tackles in the NFL to have played at least 50% of the snaps this season, Johnson ranks No. 1, Sewell, who was the 7th overall pick in last year's draft, is 23rd and Ramcyzk is 10th, according to Pro Football Fous (PFF). 

• Week 1 Green Bay: Elgton Jenkins – 53rd by PFF
• Week 2 Philadelphia: Lane Johnson – 1st by PFF
• Week 3 Detroit: Penei Sewell – 23rd by PFF
• Week 4 New Orleans: Ryan Ramczyk – 10th by PFF 

But the inside numbers suggest Hunter is bound for a breakout. 

This week he goes up against Bears right tackle Larry Borum, who ranks 25th in pass blocking, per PFF. But that's a bit shady considering he got to play in a mud bowl with little traction against the 49ers. Then he allowed a combined 4 pressures – 2 sacks, 1 hit and 1 hurry – against the Packers and Texans before playing well this past Sunday against a backup defensive end for the Giants. 

Hunter is going to test Borom's mettle and there's a good chance it won't go well for the 2021 fifth-round pick. 

As a rookie, Borom was on the field for 82 snaps in Week 17 against the Vikings and he got smashed (Hunter did not play). He allowed 7 pressures that day, including 2 sacks, 1 hit and 4 hurries, according to PFF. 

If Hunter doesn't have a big game against Borom, then it might be time to worry. But the rest of the season looks to favor Hunter almost every week. He only faces three more right tackles who are good at pass blocking: Arizona's Kelvin Beachum, Dallas' Terence Steele, and Sewell again in Week 14. 

Look how low the right tackles Hunter will face rank in PFF pass-blocking grades: 

• Week 6 Miami: Greg Little – 61st by PFF (dead last)
• Week 8 Arizona: Kelvin Beachum – 19th by PFF
• Week 9 Washington: Sam Cosmi – 32nd by PFF
• Week 10 Buffalo: Spencer Brown – 49th by PFF
• Week 11 Dallas: Terence Steele – 11th by PFF
• Week 12 New England: Isaiah Wynn – 36th by PFF
• Week 13 NY Jets: Max Mitchell – 55th by PFF
• Week 14 Detroit: Penei Sewell – 23rd by PFF
• Week 15 Indianapolis: Braden Smith – 27th by PFF
• Week 16 NY Giants: Evan Neal – 56th by PFF
• Week 17 Green Bay: Elgton Jenkins – 53rd by PFF
• Week 18 Chicago: Larry Borom – 25th by PFF

Hunter is healthy and his breakout could be coming this week. 

Related: Get ready for Bears-Vikings, where it could get weird

Related: The Vikings know they have to get more from the offense