Vikings rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner, given more run, feels like he’s ‘just getting started’

Rookie Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner, a first-round pick out of Alabama, stepped into one of his largest roles of the season during Sunday’s 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

And Turner left feeling as if he’s headed in the right direction near the end of a quiet first year. Turner finished with three tackles and a hit on Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins while being one of the primary backups behind starters Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. The Vikings’ No. 3 edge rusher, Patrick Jones II, was held out because of a knee injury.

Turner started fast. He wrapped up Falcons running back Bijan Robinson for no gain on the opening drive. By the end of the first quarter, Turner drilled Cousins as the ex-Vikings quarterback threw an incompletion.

“Man, I’m just getting started,” Turner told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “I’m starting to get it. With the great group of leaders we have and the great group of coaches, I feel like the game is starting to slow down for me as a rookie at this point in the season. Honestly, just embracing my role on the team and being the best teammate possible. And we’re winning, so why be mad?”

Turner said he has had to be patient in a complex defense featuring four edge rushers, including Jihad Ward, with more experience than him.

On Sunday, the Vikings also turned to undrafted rookie edge rusher Gabe Murphy, who made his NFL debut after spending the first half of the season on injured reserve. Murphy came off the bench as an interior rusher on obvious passing downs. He also had a hit on Cousins and drew an offensive holding penalty.

When Turner hit Cousins, he smoothly transitioned from defending a possible handoff to attacking upfield. He wasn’t duped by one of the NFL’s best play-action passers.

“Knowing Kirk’s mannerisms with play-action and stuff like that,” Turner said, “I just seen an opportunity and took it.”

Rookie kicker Will Reichard returned to game action Sunday after four weeks on injured reserve. He missed one field-goal try, from 47 yards, that hit the left upright but made six extra points.

“I thought I hit it well,” Reichard said of the missed field goal. “I have to go back and look at the film and see what happened. Felt like a good hit. There was no pain or anything throughout the game, so it was good.”

Reichard told the Minnesota Star Tribune after the game that he has been working back into kicking for about 2½ weeks, though he only returned to official practice ahead of this game. He started by kicking with a Nerf football and then a partially inflated NFL game ball before getting back to using a fully inflated ball at the end of last week.

Linebacker Brian Asamoah, a 2022 third-round pick, has not had much of a role on defense. Coordinator Brian Flores has turned to such newcomers as linebacker Jamin Davis, signed off the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad midseason, before playing Asamoah. But he has been a core special teams contributor. He was grateful to make a game-changing play against Atlanta when he punched the ball out of kick returner Ray-Ray McCloud’s hands to force a fumble and takeaway.

“My role, I think that’s what I’m embracing,” Asamoah said. “Whenever I get an opportunity to step out in those white lines, I’m going to take it with respect and appreciate where I am.”