NFL.com scoured the league this week to identify the most underappreciated players, and for the Minnesota Vikings, that’s evidently outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
The 23-year-old will get his first real opportunity to start for a full season in 2026, and it’s time for Turner to strut his stuff.
Greenard’s Exit Pushes Turner into a Bigger Spotlight
NFL.com: Vikings’ Underappreciated Player = Dallas Turner
Left up to Vikings fans, most would’ve picked defensive tackle Jalen Redmond for this list, but Tom Blair at NFL.com disagreed.
He nominated Turner and noted, “Turner didn’t do much in 2024 after being drafted 17th overall, appearing in 16 games as a rookie but playing just 28 percent of Minnesota’s defensive snaps and mustering a paltry three sacks.”
“His eight-sack effort last season sort of snuck by me, with 4.5 of those coming between Weeks 13 and 18, when the Vikings were mostly playing out the string on the remainder of a lost season. Turner’s encouraging sophomore effort came into better focus when I was digging deeper into a slightly bizarre (but positive!) speculative case I was building about his team.”
Before the 2026 NFL draft, which naturally brought a new class of rookies, Turner was the fourth-youngest player on the Vikings’ roster. The youth is there.
“Thanks to Jonathan Greenard’s exit via trade, it is looking like Turner’s, uh, turn to show what he can really do. So don’t be like me; start appreciating Turner now, before it’s too late,” Blair concluded.
Turner’s Career So Far
In 2024, Turner had limited opportunities as a rookie, participating in only 28% of Minnesota’s defensive snaps, making it difficult to draw significant conclusions about his performance. However, he showed glimpses of his potential:
- 3 Sacks
- 5 Quarterback Hits
- 3 Tackles for Loss
- 1 Interception
The performances reminded everyone why Minnesota selected him in the 1st Round. Year No. 2 marked a turning point. Turner’s snap share increased to 66% due to Jonathan Greenard’s injury, and his output finally aligned with pre-draft expectations:
- 8 Sacks
- 15 Quarterback Hits
- 11 Tackles for Loss
- 4 Forced Fumbles
By November, Turner had settled into Brian Flores’s defense. His previous hesitations vanished, and he began making impactful plays, silencing early critics. He concluded the season with a Pro Football Focus grade of 65.5, including a 70.2 rating in pass rushing score.
No Longer “Stuck”
The Greenard trade — for better or worse — will be a significant boost for Turner, creating new opportunities. Before Greenard’s departure, Vikings fans anxiously awaited Turner’s ascension to a full-time role. His impressive late 2025 performances warranted further attention, and now Minnesota can explore it without pressure.
Had Greenard signed the anticipated contract extension, Turner would have remained behind Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. While that EDGE rushing group was strong, it hindered Turner’s chances for a breakout season. The Vikings faced a favorable dilemma: an abundance of solid outside linebackers.
Now, the landscape is different. Turner has the opportunity to shine, and Minnesota likely needs a reliable OLB3 to support him and Van Ginkel. That could involve acquiring a veteran like Jadeveon Clowney or Leonard Floyd.
Other NFC North Underappreciateds
Per Blair, these are the other underrated players in the Vikings’ division:
- Chicago Bears: D’Andre Swift (RB)
- Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams (WR)
- Green Bay Packers: Edgerrin Cooper (LB)
Blair noted on Cooper, “Like the Panthers’ Jalen Coker above, Cooper is an alum of Kevin Patra’s Unsung Heroes of 2024, and it looked like he was going to become a full-fledged star in Green Bay — until the Packers added one of the most famous defensive players on the planet. Of course, Micah Parsons cannot actually play all 11 positions himself, as the Cowboys well know.”
“And while Cooper’s sack total slipped from 3.5 in his rookie season to 0.5 with Parsons on board, Cooper did manage to put up a team-high 35 run stops, per NGS. Rashan Gary is gone, Parsons and Devonte Wyatt are coming off season-ending injuries and there’s a new coordinator (Jonathan Gannon) and middle linebacker (Zaire Franklin) in the house. Cooper has the chance to prove he can be a steadying hand in Green Bay as he moves through his third professional season.”
As an underappreciated talent, Cooper is a fair choice; he’s still pretty new to the sport. On the other hand, Swift and Williams are well-known and, at times, known for their inconsistency, particularly Williams.
The Vikings’ first regular season game is 108 days away, when they’ll face Cooper and the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.
