Brian Flores reveals 'several one-on-ones' with rookie Dallas Turner

Turner has struggled to gain meaningful snaps during his rookie season.

Dallas Turner (15) during the Atlanta Falcons game / Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner has not had the impact many thought the Alabama product would have after being selected No. 17 overall in the draft by the Vikings.

Turner has had limited chances to make an impact on the Vikings' defense, playing just 202 snaps through 14 weeks. However, with Patrick Jones II injured, Turner's role has increased in each of the past two weeks — and there have been one-on-one coaching sessions with defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

"He and I had some one-on-ones saying, 'Hey, what are we doing on this day?'' ... Which I think was good so we were a little bit more on the same page as far as expectations, as far as the work week and things of that nature. Not saying that he wasn't working, he's always working. He's a hard-working kid but just exactly what are we looking at on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday," Flores said Tuesday during his weekly press conference.

"I think it's important for young guys to get on a routine. I think it's important for everyone to get on a routine. Just so you go back and tweak it week-to-week and say, 'Hey that helped me, that didn't help me.' So the goal there was just, 'Hey over the course of this last end of the season, let's make sure we got the right routine, really across the board."

Flores expressed that "a lot" of the one-on-ones were good and that "a lot of it was on the right track," and that he needs "do a better job of doing that with more of the younger guys" on the roster.

"I normally check in with some of the younger players later in the year. The season can really kind of wear on people. I know people call it the 'rookie wall.' I normally check in on the younger players when the college season comes to the end and they may be feeling like 'I'm tired,'" Flores explained. "That's normally around the time I would check in with a lot of the younger players. That's kind of what prompted it."

Coming out of college, Turner was one of the highest-rated defenders in the 2024 draft, having put up an SEC-leading 10 sacks in 2023. However, he has struggled to live up to the lofty expectations, totaling just 12 combined tackles and one sack — and Pro Football Focus has credited him with only nine QB pressures.

Despite the rookie struggles, Flores believes Turner has a bright future.

"I think the kid's super talented. I think he's got a bright future ahead of him," he said. "Just any advice I could give him to make what he's doing a little bit better. For now and going forward."