At Edge Rusher, The Vikings May Be Falling into the J.J. McCarthy Trap
The Vikings are bumping up Dallas Turner to a starting position. Is that going to prove wise? Should they be conducting a real competition for the vacated starting spot?
As things stand, Mr. Turner is essentially unchallenged as it relates to being the Week 1 top option opposite Andrew Van Ginkel (unless Eric Wilson does something wild). Nobody can deny that Turner’s potential is immense. What is debatable, though, is whether the No. 17 pick from the 2024 NFL Draft will become an every down force, somebody who climbs to elite. Needing to defeat a head-to-head contender for the starting position could have been a wise move to force Turner to further elevate.
The Vikings are Betting a Ton on Dallas Turner
Oftentimes, a player’s third season is deemed the time when it’s time to truly arrive. A rookie season is a whirlwind, especially since there’s so much energy being spent on preparing for The Combine, pro days, the draft, and so on. Lots to digest in those moments.
Even being a sophomore means getting further acclimated, especially with expectations changing. Again, not easy.
So, patience is a virtue.
In 2026, Dallas Turner is finally stepping into the EDGE2 job. Yet again, the Vikings are clearing out other players on the roster due to the confidence that exists for the young fella. Minnesota’s EDGE3 and EDGE4 in 2024 — Patrick Jones and Jihad Ward — were allowed to walk away, leading to Turner becoming the EDGE3 instead of the EDGE5. The trend has continued by walking away from EDGE1 Jonathan Greenard, creating a void in the starting lineup that needs to be filled.
A factor working in Turner’s favor is that he has already taken a step on the stat sheet, improving upon his modest production as a rookie. Check out the side-by-side statistics:
- 2024: 16 Games (0 Starts), 20 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 3 TFLs, 1 INT, & 1 PD
- 2025: 17 Games (10 Starts), 66 Tackles, 8 Sacks, 11 TFLs, 3 PDs, and 4 FFs
Seeing the sacks come close to tripling is obviously a nice development. Likewise, boosting the forced fumbles up to 4 — an elite total for any player in any season — is a very positive sign of progress for the Alabama alumnus. Knocking the ball loose with such regularity is excellent stuff.
However, there’s some skepticism due to a basic observation: Turner more than doubled his snaps. As a rookie, Turner played 300 snaps on defense; as a sophomore, Turner played 702 snaps on defense. More than doubling the snaps doesn’t entirely explain the stat improvements, but it’s a piece of the puzzle.
Shouldn’t we expect more stats with more playing time? Sending a pitcher to the mound for more innings will lead to more strikeouts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the pitcher has improved in a huge way.
Going forward, the Vikings need Turner to become more efficient within his production. Squeeze more value out of his workload by being broadly disruptive from play to play, consistently putting blockers on their heels and consistently forcing a quarterback into an uncomfortable position. Doing so will mean Minnesota is very pleased in its young edge rusher.
The 6’3″ and 250-pound defender ran a blistering 4.46 forty, roughly the exact same speed as Justin Jefferson. Turner’s potential is immense, so it’s time to start having an immense impact on the game.
He’s progressing toward a starting position without anyone looking like a true challenger for his job.
