Jason

Hunter

Entering his age-30 season and coming off a year out of the league due to a torn triceps, Hunter has zero upside. But the Raiders will celebrate the signing as a victory. Expect Hunter to serve as a rotational pass rusher, a role that has yielded 11 sacks in 88 career games for him.

Dumervil originally hurt the shoulder in practice, and then appeared to aggravate it in the first quarter against Oakland. Jason Hunter took over in the base defense, with Dumervil coming on in pass-rushing situations only. One of game’s premier sack artists missed the entire 2010 season with a pectoral tear.

Hunter was limited primarily to special teams and rotational line work last season following the arrival of rookie sensation Von Miller. He has appeared in all 32 games with Denver the past two seasons, and will continue to pinch in as a backup pass rusher.

Hunter appeared in all 16 games last season, but made just two starts one year after making 12. He notched 21 tackles and one sack. He’s received no known outside interest since the start of free agency.

Although the 2009 first-rounder has been a stout run defender, he’s provided no semblance of a pass rush through three seasons. Hunter has earned more snaps with a physical camp, but he’s going to be pushed by fast-rising second-round DT Derek Wolfe, who is seeing plenty of action at defensive end.

He won’t be playing football this year. Hunter is ineligible for reserve/PUP because he didn’t begin camp on active/PUP, and the four-month timetable would have him back in mid-December. Hunter will be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. The Broncos’ starting left end job should now come down to incumbent Robert Ayers versus impressive second-round pick Derek Wolfe.

Hunter appeared to sustain the injury while hitting a blocking sled in practice. A 14-game starter over the last two years, he had been promoted to the first-string ahead of Robert Ayers at the beginning of camp. Now Hunter is a candidate for injured reserve. Ayers and second-round rookie Derek Wolfe will battle for reps. Hunter is not eligible for the reserve/PUP list.

He was never expected to return after going down midway through camp. Hunter appeared in all 16 games last season, but notched only 21 tackles and one sack in a part-time role. The emergence of second-round LE Derek Wolfe should blunt whatever effect the loss of Hunter was going to have on Denver’s defensive line.

Dumervil has yet to practice this week and seems unlikely to face the Bengals Sunday. Denver is expected to use a three-man end rotation of Robert Ayers, Jason Hunter, and Derrick Harvey. This should still be one of the lowest-scoring games of the weekend.

Green Bay tendered Hunter in restricted free agency, but he must not have looked good transitioning from end to outside linebacker at the club’s first minicamp. Hunter should catch on elsewhere as special teams help.