The Vikings' season may be fading, but Dallas Turner’s moment has arrived

Turner has shown improvement in his second season and now will be asked to fill a Jonathan Greenard-sized hole in the Vikings defense.

Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) reacts after a tackle during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

In the midst of a disappointing season, second-year pass rusher Dallas Turner's development has been one of the few bright spots. Now, with star pass rusher Jonathan Greenard ruled out for the rest of the season, the Vikings will look to Turner to fill Greenard's shoes for the final three games.

"Big loss for us," Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said of Greenard. "Obviously, a captain and one of our best players. ... We'll just have the 'next man up' mentality, and I know Dallas (Turner) will step into his role, we'll get some other guys ready to go as well."

During his rookie season, Turner was largely an afterthought with the stellar play of Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. This season, Turner has had to fill in for both of those guys while they dealt with injuries. While Turner didn't stick out in the Van Ginkel role, he was solid when filling in for Greenard.

Over a three-game stretch from Week 11 to 13, Turner racked up 15 tackles, including five tackles for a loss, 14 pressures, and four sacks. It was an eye-opening stretch for a player who had struggled to live up to his first-round billing. That stretch coincided with Greenard's time on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury. Now with three games left in the Vikings' season, Turner will once again have an opportunity to showcase his talent as a disruptive pass rusher.

"Yeah, I think versatility is something that's important for every player, and Dallas has that," said Flores when asked about Turner playing the Greenard-role going forward. "So, to play on-the-ball, off-the-ball, left, right, I think he's done a good job on all of those spots. Being a young player, I think he's trying to be a sponge and take it all in. I think he wants to do whatever is best for the team, and he's done that. He's been successful in, really, both spots. We'll always continue to put guys in where we think they'll play their best, but also help the team."

Overall, Turner has improved his output from last season, upping his total pressures from 12 in 2024 to 32 this season, and his sacks from 3.0 last season to 5.5 this year.

While the Vikings look to Turner over the final three games of a disappointing season, the second-year pass rusher has the opportunity to showcase why he was a first-round pick and make a case for an expanded role going into the 2026 season.

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