Vikings UFA profile: LG Dalton Risner

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Vikings
By Will Ragatz | Last updated 2/13/24

With the 2023 season in the books, Inside the Vikings is taking a look at all 22 of Minnesota's pending unrestricted free agents over the course of a few weeks. We're examining their past and speculating about their future, particularly the likelihood that they could be re-signed by the Vikings this offseason. We started from the least important (Hakeem Adeniji) and are working our way up to the big fish (Kirk Cousins).

Vikings UFA profile: LG Dalton Risner

Age: 28
2023 stats: 11 starts, 57.1 PFF grade
2023 contract AAV: $2.78 million

Dalton Risner had an interesting first experience with free agency after spending four years as the Broncos' left guard. The 2019 second-round pick drove a hard bargain last offseason, which led to him remaining on the market all spring and summer and into the start of the regular season. Then, after an 0-2 start, the Vikings came calling for a player they had hosted on a visit nearly two months earlier. They signed Risner to a one-year deal worth up to $4 million — which is presumably less than he could've gotten earlier in the year.

After biding his time for a month while the Vikings' offensive line remained unchanged, Risner made his Minnesota debut in Week 6, replacing an injured Ezra Cleveland at left guard. His first start came the following week against the 49ers. And at the end of the month, the Vikings traded Cleveland (who was also on an expiring contract) to the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick, cementing Risner as their starting LG the rest of the way.

Risner wound up starting the final 11 games of the season for the Vikings, establishing himself as a fan favorite with his entertaining press conferences and constant hustle both during and after plays. However, his performance on the field wasn't anything special. PFF grades aren't everything, but his 57.1 overall mark was the lowest of his five-year career, ranking 44th among 65 guards who played at least 500 snaps in the regular season. As was always the case with Risner in Denver, he graded better in pass blocking (21st/65) than run blocking (54th/65).

Now he's a free agent again. If the Vikings elect to bring him back, they could keep the same starting five up front in 2024. It'll just depend on what Risner's market looks like. He's a experienced veteran, a reliable pass-blocker, and a quality locker room presence, but he also wouldn't be impossible to replace. The fan perception of Risner seems to be a bit rosier than the reality of who he is as a player.

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