Last year, Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings rolled out one of the most unorthodox and exciting defenses Vikings fans have ever seen. Multiple position-less players blitzed like maniacs, rushing the opposing quarterbacks with cornerbacks, linebackers, and safeties flip-flopping, etc. It was complete and utter chaos, but it worked.
Why?
The truth is, nobody really knows outside of Flores and his players. I’m almost certain that Kevin O’Connell doesn’t even understand it most of the time, let alone opposing offensive coordinators. But I digress.
Dallas Turner might be the most exciting offseason addition to Minnesota’s dynamic defense. The Vikings traded up to take Turner, one of the most dynamic defensive prospects, in the draft. If it weren’t for the multitude of quarterback, receiver, and O-line talent, someone almost assuredly would’ve been selected in the top eight picks of the draft.
So, what will a blue-chip defensive prospect look like in a Flores-led defense?
Turner is a 6’3”, 250 lb. edge rusher from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who was an absolute menace in his three years playing for the University of Alabama. Turner had 22.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss in 58 games. He’s listed as a linebacker but came off the edge for most of his collegiate career. Experts have compared him to Micah Parsons because of their raw athleticism and lightning-fast speed.
Let’s look at this from a systematic standpoint. Flores runs a 3-4 defense, and Nick Saban and Alabama ran a 3-4 defense during Turner’s three years in Tuscaloosa. So Turner will reprise his role from college, right?
Wrong. The Vikings have a plethora of defensive line and linebacker talent: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jihad Ward, Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Kamu Grugier-Hill, Brian Asamoah II, and Patrick Jones II. Not to mention guys like Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus who can play almost anywhere.
Regardless of how good Turner looks in camp or the pre-season, the chances of him beating out a vet are slim to none. Unless he looks like prime Carl Eller throughout camp, he won’t be shooting to the top of the leaderboard anytime soon. Justin Jefferson didn’t start until Week 3, and now he’s the best wide receiver in the NFL. The issue is that Turner is too good of a player to deploy as a rotational guy off the bench. So where will Flores place him within this chess game that he treats like a game of battleship?
I couldn’t tell you if my life depended on it. That’s why he’s a mystery. It’s like receiving a gift from your millionaire uncle — you know it will be great, but you don’t know exactly what it’ll be. We know that Turner is a phenomenal athlete and football player. Still, we have no idea what that will look like in the Vikings defense.
Turner has the frame of a lightweight edge rusher and a perfectly sized linebacker. Defensive coordinators often consider players like that to be tweeners. However, when that same guy runs a 4.46 40-yard dash and has a 40.5” vertical, it makes it a lot easier for them to just put him in a spot and ask him to get after the rusher. He can play anywhere within 10 yards of scrimmage and still make an impact on the game. He’s fast, can get in the air, can rush, can guard tight ends, and will flat-out make opposing players uncomfortable.
He reminds me of Metellus, the original positionless player in Flores’ defense. The fifth-year “safety” ended the 2023-24 season playing a total of 12 different positions (note: There are only 11 defensive players on the field at one time). It was a true testament to who Metellus is as a player and an indication of the type of player Turner can be for the defense. Turner won’t play in the secondary. Still, if he can play anywhere within the front seven, Flores will have fun with him during training camp and in the film room.
We don’t know where Turner will play on the field or how he will fit into the current depth chart. However, we know one thing: it’s going to be great.
