The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2025 season with a loaded roster on both offense and defense — and the potential to be even better than their already-impressive lineup suggests.
Several of Minnesota’s 2024 offseason moves paid off immediately. Free agent signings Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel proved to be dominant off the edge, notching 12 and 11.5 sacks, respectively. Greenard earned his first Pro Bowl selection, while Van Ginkel not only made the Pro Bowl but was also named second-team All-Pro for the first time in his career.
However, not all additions make an instant impact, especially when it comes to rookies. The Vikings used both of their first-round picks in 2024 on quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner.
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a preseason knee injury, but he’s expected to take over as the starter in 2025. Turner, meanwhile, was a rotational player behind the team’s top pass rushers and logged just 300 defensive snaps — about 28% — in his debut season.
That said, head coach Kevin O’Connell believes Turner is poised for a major leap in his second year. Speaking with Rich Eisen of NFL Network on April 26, O’Connell said, “I hope people haven’t forgotten about Dallas Turner… I’m expecting a huge year-two jump from him. He really started to show flashes as last season progressed. It’s just tough to crack the lineup when the guys ahead of you are playing at such a high level.”
While Turner’s contributions on defense were limited, he still made an impact — particularly on special teams — and now has a clear opportunity to emerge as one of the Vikings’ breakout stars in 2025.
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