Nov 28, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (71) after the loss against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports.
The NFL’s regular season is 98 days away, and when that arrives, the Minnesota Vikings might have a stud on their hands.
He’s Dallas Turner, and the new outside linebacker has turned heads at organized team activities (OTAs) as of late. Christian Darrisaw, the franchise’s stalwart left tackle, commented on Turner’s emerging skillset this week, and his commentary was a shower of praise.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted Wednesday, “Christian Darrisaw was just raving about rookie Vikings LB Dallas Turner. Said he saw Turner put a spin move on another lineman that was faster than the one Danielle Hunter used to put on people.”
Darrisaw told KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, “He had a spin move last week, it was quicker than Danielle’s. I was like, ‘Damn, this guy’s gonna be special.'”
Here’s the full video:
Minnesota utilized Round 1 of the draft to select quarterback J.J. McCarthy of Michigan and Turner from Alabama. Few figured both men were attainable, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was expected to trade his 1st-Round assets for a quarterback of the future. But on draft night, McCarthy tumbled to pick No. 10, where the young executive pulled the trigger on a trade with the New York Jets — while keeping his 23rd overall pick in-house. He then picked Turner after an expensive trade to the 17th spot with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Minnesota now showcases tremendous EDGE depth, which is noteworthy because some fans panicked about Hunter’s departure to the Houston Texans in March. The EDGE room will feature Turner, Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jihad Ward, rookie Gabriel Murphy, Patrick Jones II, and Andre Carter II, among others. In fact, the group may be “too deep” that an awkward roster cut could occur later this summer.
The Vikings haven’t boasted this much pass-rushing beef since the aforementioned Hunter began developing in 2015 and 2016. In recent years, the purple situation has involved Hunter and another defender like Everson Griffen or Za’Darius Smith, for example — and then that’s about it.
Turner wasn’t free, however. Adofo-Mensah shipped his 23rd overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars along with a 2025 3rd-Round pick, a 2024 4th-Rounder, and a 2024 5th-Round selection. That was the price to secure a potent rookie EDGE defender.
Often, NFL rookies are asked to watch and learn before acclimation into the starting lineup, but with Turner, he could see a starter’s snaps as early as September. Outside linebackers are frequently ready earlier than most, especially if Darrisaw’s observations are worthwhile.
Turner turned 21 in February.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.