Unless the Vikings are somehow competing in Super Bowl LVIII next month, pass rusher Danielle Hunter and long snapper Andrew DePaola will serve as starters at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando. Both players were selected by a consensus vote of players, coaches and fans.

This will be the fourth career Pro Bowl appearance for Hunter and the second for DePaola.

This is the first time Hunter has been named a starter for the annual event. He’s more than deserving of that honor considering he’s been the straw that stirs the drink for the Vikings this season on defense. Hunter started every single game, he is fifth in the league with 15 1/2 sacks, which is a career-high for him, and he’s tied with Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby for the league lead with 21 tackles for loss.

As for DePaola, he’s been a pillar of consistency for the Vikings this season on special teams. He’s extremely reliable with his ball placement on field goals and punts and, more importantly, has emerged as a respected leader within the locker room who gets along with everybody. He is the first long snapper since Los Angeles Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide in 2016 and 2017 to be selected to the Pro Bowl in consecutive seasons.

The Vikings also had a handful of alternates selected for Pro Bowl Games, including fullback C.J. Ham, tight end T.J. Hockenson, left tackle Christian Darrisaw, center Garrett Bradbury, safety Josh Metellus and safety Harrison Smith.

The recent implementation of the Pro Bowl Games is a shift from the traditional tackle football game that defined the Pro Bowl for decades. Instead, the selected players participate in various skills competitions, culminating with the NFC and AFC competing in a flag football game.

Briefly

The injury report continues to be lengthy as the Vikings head into the regular-season finale. The players who did not participate in practice on Wednesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center included cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (knee), right tackle Brian O’Neill (ankle), receiver Jalen Nailor (concussion) and defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy (ankle). The limited participants included Smith (shoulder), cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder), right guard Ed Ingram (shoulder), safety Theo Jackson (toe), and tight end Nick Muse (knee).