Jonathan Greenard may have traded the purple and gold for midnight green, but his mentorship of Dallas Turner hasn't missed a beat. The former Vikings edge rusher was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles during the second day of the draft, a move that brought Minnesota cap relief, the 98th overall pick, and a 2027 third-rounder. Greenard quickly signed a four-year, $100 million extension with his new team, but his eyes—and advice—remain fixed on his former teammate.

With Greenard gone, the Vikings are turning to Turner, the 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft, to step into a full-time role in 2026. The 23-year-old showed flashes of brilliance late in the 2025 season, leading the team with eight sacks. But Greenard believes the best is yet to come.

"When he's on and he's dialed in on the game plan, the kid is a bottle of explosion," Greenard said on Chris Long's Green Light podcast. "He's a 4.4 guy, and he's only just breaking the surface of how he's going to be in this league. I'm watching real close. I'm still gonna be talking to him the same way."

Greenard's praise came with a challenge. "You saw him do a little bit toward the end of last season. Now it's time. It's your time to show the team. You need to go ahead and make that happen."

The comments offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at Turner's development. Greenard acknowledged the young pass rusher's raw physical talent while hinting at untapped potential, noting that many young players "don't know what they don't know yet."

For Vikings fans, it's a promising sign. Turner is expected to build on his late-season surge and become a reliable, terrorizing presence off the edge. And even from Philadelphia, Greenard will be there every step of the way, coaching from afar.