The Minnesota Vikings decided this offseason to trade veteran pass rusher Jonathan Greenard. As a result, it will be interesting to see how Minnesota replaces the production that Greenard brought to the table.
Dallas Turner will be the prime candidate to replace the production. Last season with the Vikings, Turner finished with a 65.5 overall defensive grade from PFF, ranking 63rd out of 115 qualified edge defenders. He posted a 70.2 pass-rush grade, which ranked 38th at the position, and a 66.9 run-defense grade, which ranked 38th.
As a pass rusher, he produced 42 total pressures, including nine sacks, 27 hurries, and six quarterback hits. In run defense, he logged 35 solo tackles and added four forced fumbles over the course of the season.
Nonetheless, could Minnesota look at the free-agent market to avoid placing the entire responsibility on Turner’s shoulders? The Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer noted that fans are floating Jadeveon Clowney’s name, prompting his colleague, Ben Goessling, to respond.
“I mean, it depends on the price, I suppose, but he’s been an awfully productive pass rusher for a long time,” Goessling said on the May 1 edition of “StribSports Access Vikings.” “I think the question is how much he has left and how healthy he is. All of those questions would come up with him.
“But he has shown he can get to the quarterback, and that usually gets you paid in this league. You’re going to do OK with that. I think another edge rusher would help them. You’re hoping for Dallas Turner to take a step, and Andrew Van Ginkel is still there.”
Last season with the Dallas Cowboys, Clowney turned in a strong year, earning a 79.2 overall PFF defensive grade. He finished with 40 total pressures, including nine sacks, 29 hurries and two quarterback hits. Against the run, he added 26 solo tackles and forced one fumble.
Vikings’ Dallas Turner Gets Blunt Message
With Greenard now gone, former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber was recently asked whether this upcoming season is a make-or-break one for Turner.
“It’s huge [for Turner],” Leber said during an April 27 appearance on KFAN. “It’s a chance for him to be a true three-down player and see if he can carry the same amount of disruption, and if not more than Greenard…
“[Greenard] had, unfortunately, a lot of missed sacks where he would slide off the guy off the top of his shoulders or something like that. So he was getting to the quarterback. He was ultra effective. Can Dallas Turner do that now when he’s getting 75 percent of the defensive snaps as opposed to what he’s been getting up to this point?”
Minnesota GM Explains Reason for Jonathan Greenard Trade
Following the end of Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski shared a major reason Minnesota decided to part ways with Greenard, despite wanting to compete in the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
“He’s an impact player,” Brzezinski said (h/t Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune). “It’s something we understand is not making the Minnesota Vikings a better team today. But there’s a lot of factors involved, and particularly with the economics, we were able to reach a resolution that made sense for the Vikings.
“We’re going to miss him. We’re happy he was able to get himself a new contract, but this is not something we’re jumping around excitedly about. We did feel like it was the best thing for the organization moving forward.”
Vikings Insider Gets Blunt About Free Agent Jadeveon Clowney