The Minnesota Vikings traded up twice in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The boldest of the two moves was moving up six spots to get Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner, as they surrendered a 2024 fifth-round pick as well as third and fifth-round picks in this year's draft.
One year in, the return on that investment is lacking. Turner played in 16 games as a rookie, but he played just 300 defensive snaps as Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard held down the edge rusher fort quite well for the Vikings. That said, Turner showed some promise with three sacks in that limited action, and declaring him a bust right now is an incredible reach.
Over a span of a few days in late-April and early May, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah both took an opportunity to talk up Turner and the young defender followed those words of praise with a strong showing during OTAs and minicamp.
The truer test will be when pads come on during training camp, and he should get some run early in preseason games to show the progress he has made.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores joined the club in praise of Turner after Day 1 of minicamp, notably saying he sees Turner as essentially a third starter at edge rusher.
"That room, we really see it as having three starters. You’re with two guys that receive all the accolades and are good players who’ve been in the league and who are significant contributors to the team, so the best thing you can do if you’re Dallas is just soak up that information."
Minnesota Vikings OLB Dallas Turner lands on an appropriate list for 2025
Versatility gets you on the field in Flores' defense, so Adofo-Mensah mentioning how Turner could play off the ball some is notable. It's also fair to say Flores is hesitant to use rookies, given how complex his scheme is, and Turner has now had a full season and another set of OTAs to get himself fully up speed.
2025 will be an important season for Turner. It's practically automatic he'll have a bigger role in the Vikings' edge rusher mix, and he needs to start justifying his draft position.
To that end, Turner leads Matt Holder of Bleacher Report's recent list of six 2024 first-round picks who must bounce back this season to avoid earning a bust label.
Holder noted how Turner had some work to do as a draft prospect, which easily explains his lack of snaps as a rookie. Van Ginkel and Greenard are, of course, back and coming off Pro Bowl campaigns, and even if Turner allows each of them to rest more this year, they are the Vikings' top two edge rushers as long as they're healthy.
So the bottom line Holder landed on feels appropriate.
"So, Turner has an uphill battle to crack the starting lineup and could have a tough time seeing the field again."
However, Turner does not have to be a starter to make a big impact during his second season. Patrick Jones, who left for the Carolina Panthers in free agency this offseason, played 459 defensive snaps and had seven sacks last season as the Vikings' No. 3 edge rusher.
That role is wide open for Turner this year, likely with a good bit more than 450-ish snaps. If that role materializes, a second straight disappointing season would push Turner toward bust territory, with many people ready to fully declare it.