Vikings coach explains why the team has its first round pick set up for early success in 2024
If one wants an idea of how rookie first-rounder Dallas Turner is doing during his first offseason as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, all they have to do is check out Wednesday's viral tweet quoting left tackle Christian Darrisaw: That's a big compliment from one of the NFL's best left tackles and a guy […]
If one wants an idea of how rookie first-rounder Dallas Turner is doing during his first offseason as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, all they have to do is check out Wednesday's viral tweet quoting left tackle Christian Darrisaw:
That's a big compliment from one of the NFL's best left tackles and a guy who used to go up against Danielle Hunter every day in practice.
The expectations for Turner are, naturally, to hit the ground running when considering his pre-draft resume and talent level. So, while Darrisaw's comment is great, it should also be met with a certain degree of level-headedness, so to speak.
Either way, the coaching staff believes they have the environment ready for Turner to flourish and it can happen as soon as this year.
"The kid is extremely smart and I'm not in his meeting room. You know, he's in outside 'backers, but he's been locked in and I think he can handle a lot," Vikings defensive line coach Marcus Dixon told the media on Wednesday. "I mean, he's ready to go. Again, he's still a rookie [and] it's still a process, but… the culture is so great here, that it allows him to kind of be himself and grow to be that player he wants to be."
Turner is surrounded by veterans to help guide him along the way
Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Jihad Ward are all guys who have had plenty of experience playing in the NFL and the first two have provided solid production over the last few years. They're pros who know how to get it done and when you combine them with Harrison Smith, Byron Murphy Jr., and even non-vets like Ivan Pace Jr. and Cameron Bynum – it's easy to see why Turner can get an early grip on how to navigate NFL life.
"Culture is everything and KO (Kevin O'Connell) is doing a great job of talking about being resilient, talking about our team, our process, our way and that's taught every single day," said Dixon. "But I think the thing that he preaches, is that, it's the players that really make it come alive. And I think they are taking ownership of it. Again, I'm just new here, but I see that. And knowing KO… I know what he's about. I know what his mindset is. So, I do feel like the guys are taking ownership on that.
"… So we have set a culture. He's setting the culture but those guys are making it come to life."
It's going to be very interesting to see how the staff uses Turner this year, mostly because of his skill set. He can rush the quarterback off the edge, kick inside on obvious passing downs, and he can even play off-ball linebacker.
And when considering he has a defensive coordinator, like Brian Flores, who is all about positional versatility – it's even easier to see why the cards set up nicely for Turner in 2024. And beyond.
