Harsh Label Just Got Attached to Vikings OLB Dallas Turner
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner did not field a full-timer’s workload in 2025, relegated to about 30% of defensive snaps. Accordingly, some believe the young EDGE rusher must do everything in his power this season to avoid the “bust” label.
Can’t please ’em all — some are already invoking a naughty word for Vikings OLB Dallas Turner.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded a gridiron fortune to select Turner in the 2024 NFL Draft, so when the regular season arrived, and Turner didn’t start, some bemoaned his small snap count.
And according to Bleacher Report, Turner must “bounce back and avoid the bust label.”
Bleacher Report Says Dallas Turner Must Avoid “Bust” Label
BR’s Matt Holder named six 2024 draftees with his bounce-back-or-bust criteria this week, and for better or worse, Turner made the list.
Holder explained, “Coming out of Alabama, Dallas Turner was widely considered one of the best pass-rushers in the 2024 draft class. With that in mind, it isn’t too surprising that the No. 17 overall pick did not record a single start as a rookie.”
“But it was a little shocking to see him only take 28 percent of the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference, and he could receive a similar workload this fall. Both starting edge defenders from last season return for the Vikings: Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard.”
A point of order: When Turner did get on the field last season, he routinely made splashy plays. It’s just that fans wanted more than the 28% of defensive plays in which Turner participated.
Holder added, “Van Ginkel is coming off a career year with a personal-best 11.5 sacks to earn a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro bid. Meanwhile, Greenard has had back-to-back double-digit sack campaigns, logging 12 in 2024 while also making the Pro Bowl. So, Turner has an uphill battle to crack the starting lineup and could have a tough time seeing the field again.”
Any “Bust” Conversation Not Applicable to Dallas Turner
It’s totally understandable to scour the NFL for bust candidates, but Turner just isn’t a fair contestant.
The man was locked on a depth chart behind Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel last season, and those two players reached the Pro Bowl. Full stop.
For Turner to receive a starter’s snap account — and avoid June 2025 bust articles from Bleacher Report — Minnesota would’ve had to bench a Pro Bowler just for the sake of appeasing Turner’s draft stock.
That’s stupid.
Benching Greenard or Van Ginkel would’ve been utter malpractice. The Turner panic in the summer of 2025 is premature.
More Snaps in 2025 No Matter What
Thankfully for Turner’s sake, two outside linebackers from the 2025 squad no longer work for the purple team. Patrick Jones II, a 2021 Vikings draftee, signed with the Carolina Panthers in March. He was on the field in Brian Flores’ 2024 defense 46% of the time.
What’s more, reserve EDGE defender Jihad Ward did not re-sign in the Twin Cities. Ward tabulated 41% of all of Minnesota’s defensive snaps last season.
So, almost by default, because Minnesota signed no notable free-agent outside linebackers, Turner’s workload will spike.
The Vikings’ OLB Group
Here’s Minnesota’s full OLB corps about five weeks away from training camp:
- Jonathan Greenard
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Dallas Turner
- Bo Richter
- Gabriel Murphy
- Tyler Batty
- Chaz Chambliss
You can set a clock to Turner’s increased playing time, barring injury, which should demote any Bleacher Report bust fears.
Other Bust Possibilities?
Holder also named Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette as a bust candidate.
He noted, “Unlike a lot of the previously mentioned players, Xavier Legette had a decent rookie season and was a consistent starter a year ago. The 2024 No. 32 overall pick made 13 starts and led the Carolina Panthers with 49 receptions, while finishing second in receiving yards (497) and touchdowns (four).”
“However, he was plagued by eight drops, per Pro Football Focus, and the wideout admitted that’s his biggest area of improvement moving forward. That’s part of the reason Carolina was still searching for wide receiver help during the draft, adding another first-rounder at the position in Tetairoa McMillan last April.”
He then mentioned Packers lineman Jordan Morgan: “He only played in six games with one start as a rookie, participating in just 186 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference. Granted, injuries played a factor in that, since he missed contests with a shoulder issue and ended the season on injured reserve. However, Morgan still doesn’t have a clear path to the starting lineup heading into year two.”
Turner and his teammates kick off training camp in Eagan on July 26th.
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