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.
One Vikings rookie has been the focus of much opinion in recent weeks. Considering that, I felt it was time to look at where Dallas Turner stands among rookie edge defenders so far this season.
Minnesota drafted Turner with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft. He was one of five edge defenders taken in the first round, along with Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse, Chop Robinson, and Darius Robinson. Four of those have played this season, the exception being Darius Robinson, who started the season on injured reserve with a calf injury. He was activated on October 28 but has yet to play for the Arizona Cardinals this season. Along with the four first-rounders, five rookie edge defenders have had significant (minimum 20% of snaps) playing time in their rookie year.
Of those nine players, Turner (58.0) ranks sixth per Pro Football Focus’ overall grade, which is lower than you’d hope for. The other three first-rounders make up the top three, with Verse (86.5) way out in front, followed by Latu (68.9), and then Chop Robinson (64.4). In fourth is seventh-round pick Javontae Jean-Baptiste (63.5,) who has particularly impressed in run defense, followed by Jonah Elliss (59.4). The two players below Turner are Chris Braswell (54.4) and Jaylen Harrell (45.5).
Verse (6) leads the group in sacks, followed by Elliss (4), Latu (3), Robinson and Braswell (2), and Turner, Jean-Baptiste, and Booker (1) — Harrell hasn’t registered a sack yet. The disappointment for Turner is that he registered his first and only sack to date in Week 1 but hasn’t been to the quarterback since. He picked up a knee injury in his second game, missed Week 3, and has spent much of the time since waiting for an opportunity.
That’s not to say that Turner has been completely invisible this season — this isn’t another Lewis Cine situation. He has played 134 snaps on defense and has shown up in both pass-rush and run defense which is a positive. Of course, people want to see a first-round pick flourishing immediately, but that’s not always the case. Especially when a team has two veterans in the same position playing exceptionally well as the Vikings do with Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Throw in Patrick Jones having a career year with seven sacks and nine tackles for loss — both career highs already — and it leaves Turner fourth on the depth chart biding his time.
The easy comparison is with Verse, who has started far better than anyone else this season. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams two picks after the Vikings chose Turner. Verse looked more pro-ready than Turner coming into the draft, with Turner a bit of a development prospect. Verse also landed in a spot where he was asked to start right away with Byron Young on the edge of the Rams’ defense with little else behind them. It was sink or swim for Verse, and he swam.
As talented as Verse is, he would not have knocked Greenard or Van Ginkel out of a starting role if the Vikings had called his name on draft night instead. Turner is doubtful to match Verse this season at this point, but getting on par with the other rookies in terms of production should be the aim.
It would certainly be nice to see Turner get on the field more, but Brian Flores is not the type of coach who will send a guy out there just for experience. He has stated that he chooses which players to send out based on how they are playing in the current game. Turner will have to earn more playing time by showing up whenever an opportunity arises.
His next chance comes this Sunday at Soldier Field when the Vikings take on the Chicago Bears.