Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
It was a 14-week wait, but a drought finally ended for one Vikings rookie. That was Dallas Turner’s wait between his first NFL sack and his second.
Edge rushers will always be judged on how many sacks they can get. There is more to the position than that, but ultimately, if the opposing quarterback is put on the floor, he won’t make any plays. It’s also what edge rushers pride themselves on. Turner got off to a great start by sacking New York Giants QB Daniel Jones in Week 1 — Jones is now a member of the Vikings practice squad — and everything looked to be going great for the Vikings second first-round pick of the 2024 draft.
Since making that impact on his debut, it has been a lesson in patience for Turner and the Vikings fanbase as the rookie got to grips with the notoriously complex Brian Flores defense. With the pressure of being a first-round pick, grumbles were coming from some quarters about the lack of playing time Turner was getting. There was never any need to panic with the Vikings employing two excellent veterans in his position. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel have been a revelation since signing as free agents. Patrick Jones has also been having his best season as a pro, keeping Turner down the depth chart.
The 14-week wait ended as Turner showcased the talent that had him so highly rated coming into the draft. Turner beat Chicago’s right tackle, Darnell Wright, with his blend of speed off the line and then a shoulder dip. The bend and balance shown to get to Williams were incredible and something not everyone can do. It was a big highlight play that Turner needed to remind everyone of what he could do.
The game against Chicago was Turner’s best performance as a Viking to date. In addition to the sack, he had two pressures and three tackles, including a tackle for loss. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 71.2 for his efforts — the third-highest grade by any Vikings defender. There have been signs that Turner is starting to figure it out, and this comes at the perfect time for the Vikings as we head into three huge regular-season games and then the playoffs.
Can Turner keep building on last week’s performance and put together a strong finish to the season? That’s what Minnesota will be hoping. The defense has been a big part of the Vikings’ success this season, and Turner could be breaking out at just the right time. Not just to help with their push toward a championship but as a good sign going into next season, too.
Turner’s personal goal is to finish this season strong with an eye on having a more prominent role from Week 1 next year. Jones is set to be a free agent and has played well enough this season to earn a good contract. If Turner can show he’s ready to step up into that third edge rusher role, the Vikings can save the money they might have paid Jones to use on one of the weaker areas of the team. With undrafted rookies Gabriel Murphy and Bo Richter showing plenty of promise, the depth of the position looks good in Minnesota.
Turner was one of five edge defenders taken in the first round of this year’s draft, and he has been overshadowed by the LA Rams’ DE Jared Verse so far. An NFL career should be a marathon, not a sprint. There is plenty of time for Turner’s ability to shine through, and we are starting to see it.
This week, Turner has the opportunity to go after the third-most-sacked QB in the league, Geno Smith. The veteran QB seems to have shaken off the knee injury that knocked him out of last week’s game. He has been sacked 43 times this season, allowing Turner to go for sack number three.