If Not Now, Then When? The Vikings’ Problem That Needs a Quick Fix
Patience, oftentimes, is hard to find in the NFL.
Currently, the Vikings’ problem relates to roster health, or lack thereof. All of Harrison Smith, Christian Darrisaw, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman — impact starters — are working through injury turmoil (among others). Van Ginkel hasn’t been able to participate for consecutive days. In theory, there should be a replacement who could function as a near one-for-one swap for the injured edge rusher without there being a drop off in play.
The Vikings’ Problem & The Solution at EDGE
Dallas Turner was the EDGE5 as a rookie.
All of Jonathan Greenard, Van Ginkel, Patrick Jones, and Jihad Ward earned more snaps than the edge rusher who cost a boatload of draft picks. Some were disappointed, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was keen to note during the offseason that mastering the “dark arts” of being a pass rusher takes time. Be patient, the GM seemed to implore.
At other points in the offseason, the Vikings’ coaching staff insisted upon the idea of having a trio of starters at edge rusher: Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Turner. The snap count and production in Week 1 suggests otherwise.
The first pair of names were their usual disruptive selves, soaking up snaps aplenty while battling valiantly to overcome the Bears. EDGE1 Greenard had 62 snaps (93% of the total) while landing a pair of tackles and a pair of QB hits. He had 7 pressures on Caleb Williams, a magician in shoulder pads.
Van Ginkel was sitting at 61 snaps (91% of the total). The man with luscious locks had 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 passes defended. He was able to generate a pressure on Williams.
Meanwhile, Turner found himself down at 29 snaps (43% of the total). Double the snap total and Turner still doesn’t mirror the workload for Greenard and Van Ginkel. He had 3 tackles. He generated a pair of pressures on Chicago’s elusive quarterback.
At present, the availability of Andrew Van Ginkel for Week 2 is a mystery, but it doesn’t look good. He’s working through the league’s concussion protocol on a short week. So, no guarantee that he’ll be on the field for Sunday Night Football.
If Van Ginkel does need more time to get healthy, then the focus shifts to Dallas Turner.
He was drafted at No. 17 in the 2024 NFL Draft as someone who overflows with potential but isn’t yet a finished product. Within Minnesota’s roster context for 2024, that wasn’t a problem. Being the EDGE5 for a season wasn’t a hindrance to a defense that finished 5th in the NFL in points allowed.
But as 2025 proceeds, the Vikings’ problem is clear: subtracting Van Ginkel would leave the edge rusher position perilously thin. Greenard, a rugged edge rusher with a tremendous work ethic and leadership abilities, is going to be a menace. Will there be anyone else capable of saying likewise?
Turner should be the one who steps up, the next man within the pass rusher hierarchy. The only other edge rushers on the team are sophomore Bo Richter and rookie Chaz Chambliss. Both are tough players who offer good effort; both are UDFA players who could realistically struggle with a starter’s workload.
In a pinch, the Vikings could flex Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins out to the edge. Maybe off-ball linebackers Kobe King or Austin Keys could do a bit of work up front, but that’s asking a fair bit of a 6th-Round selection and another undrafted player.
The burden should fall on Dallas Turner’s shoulders. Losing Van Ginkel is tough, but being able to lean on Turner is precisely what the Vikings had in mind when choosing the Alabama defender. Being picked so high — a couple slots ahead of eventual Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, the edge rusher who walloped the Vikings in the playoffs — means that expectations are high.
Brian Flores thinks that the sophomore can — and should — handle more snaps. Andrew Krammer relays the DC’s thoughts: “When I saw the snap counts, I don’t want to say miffed but I thought [Turner] played more. We should’ve got him in more.”
In a perfect world, the Vikings’ problem at edge rusher wouldn’t be so pressing that they need to rush Turner into a workload he isn’t ready for, but the offseason has involved the team claiming Turner can handle added responsibility. We’ll gain some crucial data points on Sunday Night Football for whether that belief ends up becoming a reality.
Dallas Turner, 22, is carrying a $3,583,378 cap charge.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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