Dalton Risner Heaps Praise on Joe Burrow as he Prepares For Starting Role on Bengals Offensive Line

 Dalton Risner has formulated his first impression of Joe Burrow after a few weeks with the Bengals. He heaped praise on the quarterback Monday in front of his locker in Cincinnati.

Risner got thrust into protecting the elite passer pretty quickly on Sunday once right guard Lucas Patrick went down with his calf injury.

"I didn't quite know what Joe Burrow was all about," Risner told the media. "I knew that he was a dog. I knew Joe Burrow was out here going to Super Bowls and leading the Bengals to winning seasons. But being here now, being able to see the way he goes about his business, the type of leader that he is, how he carries the Cincinnati Bengals and the guys around him, is pretty special, and for me, it was a special moment to be able to share the field with him, not only share the field, but be able to protect him, and that's something I'm gonna take a lot of pride in for the rest of this season being a Bengal."

Risner dove into how locked in Burrow is as he gets ready to take over the starting right guard role for at least the next few weeks.

The veteran struggled in his debut with a 43.6 Pro Football Focus grade on 36 snaps, but he should improve with more time to gel and prepare for this role.

"The focus is always there," Risner said about Burrow. "I don't think one time I've seen him joking around, laughing during a walkthrough, or relaxing on the sideline. I mean, this dude is always dialed, and you kind of watch him and you wonder, 'Is he dialed like this all the time? Is this his demeanor or what?' And I'm still trying to figure him out, and he's trying to, I'm sure, figure me out, but I got a lot of respect for him, and I take a lot of pride in protecting him. I can tell you that."

The page turns to Week 2 as Cincinnati prepares for a visit from the Jaguars on Sunday.