The Minnesota Vikings already have proof that their defense can get after the quarterback. Last season, they finished tied for fourth in the NFL with 49.0 sacks, a big reason they ended up third in total defense.
Now the question is whether Dallas Turner is ready to become the kind of edge threat who can push that unit even higher. ESPN’s Dan Graziano thinks so, making a bold 2026 prediction that Turner will finish among the league leaders in sacks.
Turner, Minnesota’s other first-round pick from the 2024 draft, put together a steady climb in his first two seasons. He had three sacks as a rookie, then jumped to eight last season. Even more encouraging for the Vikings, 6.5 of those came over his final eight games.
Graziano said that after talking with people around the team, it sounds like Turner has taken another step this offseason and is set up to thrive in his third year in Brian Flores’ defense. The Vikings want him to be a force coming off the edge, and he has reportedly earned praise from teammates and coaches for how well he understands the defense and how much he has improved technically during the offseason and training camp.
If Minnesota is going to stay in the top five defensively in 2026, Turner’s development is a major piece of the puzzle. A season in the 12.0-sack range would be the kind of breakout that announces he has arrived, and it would give the Vikings a strong chance to be elite again.
In Other News...
Vikings Face A Tough J.J. McCarthy Decision No One Expected
J.J. McCarthys standing in Minnesota has taken an unexpected turn, and the next move could be shaped as much by business as football. The Vikings are reportedly expected to seek playing-time conditions on any draft pick they receive in a potential trade involving the quarterback, a sign that the team would want any return tied to how much the next stop actually uses him.
McCarthy has already lost the starting job to Kyler Murray and is also dealing with an ankle injury, which has only fueled questions about where this goes from here. Kevin OConnell has said he wants to keep working with McCarthy, but there have also been rumors about a difference in how invested OConnell and former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah were in the quarterback, adding another layer to a decision the Vikings did not appear to expect this soon. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Lose Tight End Depth At Worst Possible Time
The Vikings trimmed and shifted the bottom of the roster as they settled into the early stretch of the 2026 season, placing tight end Ben Yurosek on injured reserve and releasing safety Kahlef Hailassie from the practice squad. Yuroseks absence is not expected to be long-term, but it still leaves Minnesota thinner at a spot that matters when teams start sorting out special teams roles, blocking packages and the backup plan behind the top of the depth chart.
For now, Minnesota will lean on its veteran pairing of T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver to handle the tight end load while it waits to see when Yurosek can return. The hope inside the building is that he can be back later in the season, but the timing is less than ideal for a team trying to keep its offense and supporting pieces steady right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Have Found Demond Claibornes Fastest Path To The Field
The Vikings didnt use a premium pick on Demond Claiborne, but they may have given him a clearer route to playing time anyway. Drafted in the sixth round, the rookie running back enters a crowded backfield behind veterans Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, so Minnesota has been looking for ways to make his speed matter right away. His preseason work has only strengthened the idea that he can help sooner rather than later.
Kick return duties could be the quickest way for Claiborne to get on the field, and that would fit the kind of multi-purpose value teams want from a late-round pick. The Vikings are still sorting out how he might fit into the offense as well, but special teams offers an immediate opening and a chance to turn his explosiveness into something more tangible while he waits for a bigger role in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]