The Vikings Need an Injection from One Man

Vikings Fan

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson will return to the starting lineup this weekend. And that’s great — but the purple team really needs to showcase rookie pass rusher Dallas Turner.

The Vikings Need an Injection from One Man

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded a junior version of “the farm” for Turner, and curiously, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has only used the Alabama alumnus sparingly in the last few games.

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

It’s time to deploy Turner.

Why? Well, the defense needs him — or needs something. The pass rush could not get home on Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford last week, and he skewered the purple defense. Truth be told, the pass rush the week before against the Detroit Lions wasn’t elite, either.

On Turner, Head coach Kevin O’Connell said last week that his time is coming: “He’s a young player in a defense where the roles and responsibilities sometimes in-game can adjust based on what we’re seeing.”

“I think we’ve got a really deep outside linebacker room with Gink (Andrew Van Ginkel) and (Jonathan) Greenard, Pat Jones, and then Haddy (Jihad Ward) has got his role. We’re going to continue to see Dallas have an impact. It may be a growing thing as we go here, but trust me, I’ve got a ton of confidence in Dallas. He’s growing within a pretty high-level IQ defense.”

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner at the first day of rookie minicamp on May 10th, 2024, in Eagan, Minnesota. TCO Performance Center. Turner was drafted by the Vikings with the 17th overall pick on April 25th, 2024, in Detroit.

What the hell are we waiting for?

Although team-friendly about his role, Turner sounded a bit confused this week, too, about his role. He told KSTP’s Darren Wolfson on Monday: “I mean, just, I don’t know either. Just working every day in practice, still getting better, still learning from my guys. Whatever works best for the team, I’m not really complaining.”

“I mean, any way I can help the team go out there and affect the quarterback, impact the game in any type of way, I’m up for it. Every day, I thank God just to be in the position I am today,” he added.

Last Thursday, the purple team faced the league’s second-to-worst offensive line per PFF pass-blocking grade and was eaten alive by the Rams. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted the Vikings’ pass rush as the biggest hole in the gameplan during Minnesota’s loss at Los Angeles. “The Vikings couldn’t find a way to get to Rams QB Matthew Stafford. They pressured him on only three of his 34 dropbacks; that 9% pressure rate was their lowest in a game since 2020,” he wrote.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

“And even then, Stafford completed a pass against all three of those pressures, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Cooper Kupp after eluding DT Harrison Phillips and LB Jonathan Greenard. The pass rush had been key to the Vikings’ hot start this season, and before Thursday they had posted at least a 24.6% pressure rate in every game.”

These are some glaring Vikings defensive numbers from 2024:

Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
per EPA/Play:

Week 1-5: 1st
Week 6-8: 28th

The problem? The pass rush. A lack of pressure on Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) and Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) has caused the passing defense to plunge — from first to worst in a hurry.

Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
per DEF Passing EPA/Play:

First 5 Games: 1st
Last 2 Games: 32nd

Solutions? Set Turner free. Let him rush the quarterbacks on Sundays.

Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

After all, the Vikings paid two 2nd-Rounders, a 3rd-Rounder, a 4th-Rounder, and a 5th-Rounder for him. That’s a lot. Cut him loose. Especially in a recently ailing defense.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.