Jonathan Greenard sends a message to Dallas Turner following trade

Jonathan Greenard may not be a member of the Minnesota Vikings anymore, but that doesn't mean he won't be keeping an eye on third-year EDGE rusher Dallas Turner in 2026.

The Vikings traded Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles on the second day of last month's draft in exchange for the 98th overall pick, a third-round pick in 2027, and, perhaps most importantly, cap relief. Greenard signed a four-year, $100 million extension with the Eagles shortly after the trade.

With Greenard gone, Minnesota will now expect Turner, the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft, to take the next step in his development in 2026 with a full-time role. Turner came on strong near the end of the 2025 season, leading the Vikings with eight sacks. But Greenard believes there is more to Turner's game to unleash, and he'll still be coaching up the 23-year-old from afar.

"When he's on and he's dialed in on the game plan, I mean, the kid is a bottle of explosion," Greenard said of Turner last week on Chris Long's podcast Green Light. "I mean, the guy is literally [a] 4.4 guy, and he's only just breaking the surface of how he's going to be in this league, but that's who I'm taking care of next. You know, I'm watching real close. I'm still gonna be talking to him the same way.

"You see him kind of do a little bit towards the last season , and now this point... shoot. I said, 'It's time now. It's your time to show the team. You need to go ahead and make that happen.'"

It was an interesting look at Turner's perception behind the scenes. Greenard acknowledged Turner's physical talent while also saying there is more to his game to untap. At one point, Greenard mentioned that many young players like Turner, "don't know what they don't know yet."

Minnesota is expecting Turner to continue his progression into a reliable, terrorizing presence on the edge. Greenard will do what he can to help Turner get there, too, even if they aren't on the same team now.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Jonathan Greenard leaves the Vikings but gives advice on the way out