The Minnesota Vikings bet big on Dallas Turner this offseason, which has paid off through at least the first week of the season. And based on the assessment of veteran safety Harrison Smith, the team ought to expect more of the same as Turner’s third NFL season wears on.
Turner became a full-time starter in 2026 after the team traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during the draft in exchange for two third-round selections. Turner shot out of the gate, literally, against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, tallying a league-leading 10 total pressures. He also led the NFL in quick pressures, achieved in under 2.5 seconds, with seven of them, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic on Thursday, September 17.
Smith, a leader on the Vikings defense and top communicator from the secondary, spoke about Turner’s play in what the rest of the league should take as a warning of things to come.
“I was lined up next to him a few times,” Smith said, per Lewis. “He’s so fast off the ball that I feel slow. I mean, he gets such a good jump. I can feel that.”
Brian Flores Will Probably Tone Down Blitz Pressures Against Bears Compared to Week 1 Strategy Against Packers
Minnesota’s defense totaled 15 QB hits against the Packers in Week 1, seven of which came from Turner, as well as four sacks (Turner tallied one sack). The outside linebacker finished Week 1 as the fifth-ranked edge defender in the league, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’s decision to blitz Green Bay relentlessly undoubtedly played a factor in Turner finding some favorable matchups, and he could slow down a bit in that regard based on how the Vikings adjust against the Chicago Bears.
While the Packers entered the season with one of the five worst offensive lines in the league, per PFF rankings, the Bears came in with one of the best. Chicago remained fifth in that category after Week 1, while the Packers’ unit somehow jumped up from No. 28 to No. 27 despite an awful afternoon last Sunday, particularly from the interior of the group.
“I feel like Ben Johnson orchestrates the offense very well, utilizing all the weapons that he has over there in Chicago,” Turner said on Wednesday. “Definitely a well-worn offense, in my opinion. A lot of splash plays, chunk plays, whether it’s on the ground or in the air. But it’s definitely a lot of talent over there.”
Bears’ Offensive Line Has Weaknesses Vikings, Dallas Turner Can Attack With Pass Rush
Minnesota likely won’t be able to simply put its foot on the gas and wait for the Bears to make more mistakes than not, which is what happened to the Packers and resulted in the Vikings outscoring them 29-0 over the final 20 minutes of that contest.
Chicago also has a much stronger run game that can make Minnesota’s defense pay for overcommitting to trying to get its hands on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who is also a better and more willing scrambler than Packers QB Jordan Love.
All of that said, Turner is an edge-rusher who Flores is liable to turn loose on any likely passing down for the entirety of the game. And Chicago is weaker than usual on the left side of the line, where Braxton Jones will likely start again at left tackle as Ozzy Trapilo continues rehabilitating from a torn patellar tendon he sustained in January.
Bears All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright has missed some practice time this week with an injury of his own, so it is possible Chicago is gettable off the edge in Week 2, all of which lines up for Turner to have another successful outing.
But it is worth remembering that the Bears put up 59 points in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers and have more of an ability to make Minnesota pay for the risks its defense takes than did the Packers in the second half of last week’s contest.
Vikings’ Harrison Smith Issues Dallas Turner Warning Ahead of Bears Showdown