Already, Dallas Turner has proven to be a very good player within his breakout third season in the NFL. Quite possibly, the edge rusher hasn’t yet reached his ceiling.
That’s what Brian Flores thinks. Does the DC deserve the benefit of the doubt on this matter?
Minnesota’s defensive architect and playcaller tends to be bang on in his assessment of defensive football. I don’t think he’s perfect — who is? — but he’s pretty darn good at his job. Turner, per the DC, is still improving and figuring out how to defeat his man. The NFL should be concerned about that comment since blockers are already struggling to corral Turner.
Brian Flores Thinks Dallas Turner is Still Getting Better
Check out the thoughts from Brian Flores, who was chatting with the media at his weekly presser on Tuesday.
What does the coach think of Dallas Turner’s progression? Flores offers his take: “I think he’s developed quite a bit. I think being being behind guys like Van Ginkel, Greenard, that only helped him. I think, helped him figure out the things that he does well.”
Being able to borrow from Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard (now an Eagle) helped Turner. Makes sense. Watch and learn, right?
Not long afterwards, Brian Flores explained that he didn’t want to insist that Turner is “just scratching the surface” but that Turner is “still developing” and “wants to improve.” So, Flores thinks there’s more meat on the bone.
Now, consider some of what Turner has done so far:
- 5.5 Sacks — 2nd Overall
- 14 QB Hits — 2nd Overall
- 2 Forced Fumbles — 3rd Overall
Based purely on the eye-catching statistics, Dallas Turner is playing at an elite level. Go ahead and take your eye off the stats and put it onto the film. What will you see? A player who isn’t offering empty-calorie stats. Rather, Turner has been living up to those terrific numbers, proving to be as formidable on the field as the sacks and quarterback hits might suggest.
But then what if he’s still getting better?
Don’t lose sight of a basic reality: Dallas Turner is still only 23. Realistically, the edge rusher could still be working his way up toward the best version of himself.
He’s explosive, boasting insane speed coming out of his stance. But then there’s his capacity to turn that speed into power that he has been demonstrating in 2026. Doing so keeps him out of the Leonard Floyd territory as he works up to being like Danielle Hunter, a well-rounded, complete edge player who is a full-time menace.
In Week 5, Dallas Turner will be going down to the bayou for a battle against the New Orleans Saints. Sophomore QB1 Tyler Shough is a good player who is overlooked around the NFL due to playing for a poor team.
Coach Flores isn’t going to overlook the passer, though, and neither should the players. Making him skittish is going to a key to victory, as has been the case across the opening four games.
Turner stands at 6’3″ and weighs 247 pounds. Watch #15 as the ball is snapped to see him fire out of his stance. Keep watching him as he takes on his blocker(s). Continuing on his upward trajectory (as Brian Flores suggests) is going to mean that Turner keeps making plays.