Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores doesn’t need outside linebacker Dallas Turner to directly replace Jonathan Greenard despite the popular narrative suggesting otherwise.
The Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard and a 7th-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in April for a 2026 3rd-round pick (safety Jakobe Thomas) and a 2027 3rd-round pick. While Turner will be front and center on defense, he really shouldn’t be considered “the new Greenard.”
Turner Doesn’t Have to Be an Otherworldly OLB
Flores Clarifies the Expectation for Turner
Would it be great if Turner emerged as an EDGE rusher as productive and efficient as the 2024 version of Greenard? Absolutely. But Flores doesn’t look at Turner’s role in a binary manner.
“We play team defense. I’m not asking anybody to take over a game. We do it together as a unit, as a group,” he told the media on Wednesday.
“This being his third year, understanding what his role in the system is, with JG – – us losing JG – – obviously he’ll have a bigger role. He understands that. It’s not like we’re throwing a lot of pressure on him saying, ‘Hey, you have to be this.’ That’s not really our style of play.”
Andrew Van Ginkel remains in the OLB room for the Vikings, and he’ll be asked to maintain his stellar output with Greenard in Philadelphia.
“We are excited about where he is just kind of really across the board,” Flores continued his thoughts on Turner.
“Just continued improvement every day. I mean, that’s – – you know, I’m not really a big, ‘Hey, expectations this.’ I think we just try to improve and get better day after day and see where the chips are at the end.”
Turner’s 2025 Campaign
Turner played 702 defensive snaps in 2025, his second season in the pros. That’s an impressive total, as he saw more action when Van Ginkel and Greenard missed time due to injury. For his troubles, Turner boasted a 65.5 Pro Football Focus grade, along with a 70.2 pass-rush mark. The man really hit his groove, enough to inspire confidence in fans and reduce the anxiety of Minnesota trading Greenard the subsequent offseason. Many considered Greenard the Vikings’ best defensive player.
The Alabama alumnus also compiled 8 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles, and 66 total tackles.
Turner didn’t play at a Pro Bowl level, but he showed signs of a season that could be classified as a precursor to a breakout season, which just so happens to be available on a silver platter after the Greenard trade.
The Defense Is Bigger Than One Pass Rusher
Flores obviously isn’t in the business of putting the onus squarely on one player inside a defense that has 11 players on the field at a time. Since Flores arrived in Minnesota three years ago, his defense ranks second in the NFL per EPA/Play, and that’s not because of one, two, or even three stars. Players like Danielle Hunter, Harrison Smith, and Greenard have contributed mightily along the way, but Flores has proven he can cook with all players, refusing to rely on a single game-wrecker.
Turner will be asked to “do his job” – – a Belichickian phrase that can be tied back to Flores’s long stint in New England from 2004 to 2018. How often did Bill Belichick’s defense feature one single beast pass rusher, and then that was it? Never.
That’s the lens to view Flores’s commentary of Turner. It’s a team, not a “Who can replace Greenard?” ordeal.
Greenard on PUP in PHI
In related news, Greenard will be sidelined for a while in Philadelphia. ESPN’s Tim McManus wrote Wednesday, “Eagles outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard will be placed on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a pec strain while lifting before camp. It is not expected to be a long-term issue, according to the team.”
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman claimed that Greenard would be ready to go before too long, but overall, Greenard’s introduction to Philadelphia is not pristine.
The Vikings must decide on Turner’s fifth-year rookie option by May 1, 2027.
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VikesNow Verdict: Turner’s workload and expectations will rise in 2026, but Flores isn’t asking him to recreate Greenard by himself. If Turner continues developing while Van Ginkel and the rest of Minnesota’s front contribute, the defense can replace Greenard collectively.
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