{"id":130411,"date":"2025-06-14T23:06:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T23:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/130411\/"},"modified":"2025-06-14T23:06:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T23:06:09","slug":"linebacker-dallas-turner-coming-into-his-own-with-the-minnesota-vikings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/130411\/","title":{"rendered":"Linebacker Dallas Turner \u2018coming into his own\u2019 with the Minnesota Vikings"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the Minnesota Vikings selected Alabama<\/a> outside linebacker Dallas Turner<\/a> at No. 17 in the 2024 NFL Draft, he played 300 of the team\u2019s 1,135 defensive snaps as a rookie.<\/p>\n

The Vikings had Pro Bowlers manning the outside-linebacker spots in their starting defensive lineup \u2013 Jonathan Greenard, who registered 12 sacks and forced four fumbles, and Andrew Van Ginkle, who recorded 11.5 sacks and returned two interceptions for touchdowns — in 2024.<\/p>\n

Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores said Turner had a season of learning as a rookie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think any time you\u2019re behind \u2013 or you\u2019re with, I shouldn\u2019t say behind because in that room I really see it as three starters,\u201d Flores said<\/a> on Tuesday. \u201cSo you\u2019re with two guys who receive all the accolades and obviously are good players, have been in the league, have made a lot of plays, who are significant contributors to the team, the best thing you can do \u2013 and I think Dallas did this \u2013 is just to soak up that information. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the two guys he had, they\u2019re very different — the skills that JG has, the energy that JG brings, the skills that Ginkle has, the energy that he brings, the different ways they contribute to the team. Dallas is coming into his own as far as how he\u2019s going to contribute, and it could be in a variety of ways \u2013 as a rusher, as a dropper, on the ball, off the ball, in different packages \u2013 so we\u2019re excited about his versatility, but also his growth. \u2026 <\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think more than any of that, it\u2019s Dallas and his willingness and his want-to to put his best foot forward and put himself in the best position.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Turner said he could tell the difference between last offseason and this offseason. In between, Turner had 20 tackles, three sacks, five quarterback hits and one interception<\/a> in 16 games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m way ahead physically, mentally and spiritually,\u201d Turner said<\/a>, \u201cjust getting that one year under my belt with the type of vets that we had in the room being led by Andrew Van Ginkle and Johnny Greenard and Pat Jones last year. And just have the type of staff we have on the defensive side of the ball, I feel like is playing a big role in my development as an NFL player going into Year 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Vikings have three days of practice remaining in their offseason next week before breaking for the summer. Minnesota starts practice at training camp on July 26.<\/p>\n

Flores said being more comfortable in the NFL the second time around had helped Turner continue to grow this offseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked a lot about him last year and his growth throughout the season last year,\u201d Flores said<\/a>, \u201cand he\u2019s just kind of built on that. Nobody talks about that rookie season where it\u2019s you\u2019re in college and then you\u2019re training and then it\u2019s the combine and then it\u2019s the draft and then you jump right in and it\u2019s new everything \u2013 new house, new ride to work, new everything. So he\u2019s much more comfortable, I would say, in this environment. He knows what the expectations are. He\u2019s got a high standard for himself, and that\u2019s a great place to start. But he also knows he\u2019s got to work a significant amount to get to that standard. I think all of our guys do. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he\u2019s come in and really gotten into a routine that\u2019s going to allow him to put his best foot forward and put himself in position to have the type of season that he wants to have and the type of season we want him to have. All positive with him. Definitely some growth, or a lot of growth from his standpoint and excited to see where this goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

FOR MORE OF AL.COM\u2019S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE<\/a><\/p>\n

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1<\/a>.<\/p>\n