Free Agent Offensive Lineman Wants To Join Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have a big hole at the guard position and former Minnesota Vikings star Dalton Risner wants to be able to plug it up.

"Would LOVE to b a Bengal," Risner commented on social media. For some reason, he is itching to go to Cincinnati and block for Joe Burrow.

Free agents rarely want to go to Cincinnati. Free agents leave Cincinnati as they are generally known to be tight with the purse strings. 

Risner is coming off of an injury which limited him to 10 games last season for the Vikings. Since entering the NFL in 2019 he has appeared in at least 15 games since then, with the exception of last season.

According to Pro Football Focus, he garnered a 67 overall grade last season on 537 snaps. He also had a career-high 76.2 pass-blocking grade.

He is projected by PFF to sign a one-year, $4.5 million contract. Risner is 29 years old. Whether the Bengals are interested still remains to be seen.

The Bengals usually do not give big money to free agents, until they are pressed with losing their own. Then, they give the money at the last possible moment, to-wit: Tee Higgins.

Higgins and fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase received record deals, but it was only after Higgins was tagged for the second time and Chase threatened to hold out if not extended.

The Bengals are currently at a standstill with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season and had the same number the year before. Hendrickson is waiting for his extension and there has been no movement of late by either side.

Things were so bad with Hendrickson, he actually demanded to be traded so he could get his market value.