Vikings re-sign veteran OL to one-year deal

Dalton Risner has logged two extensive stays in free agency since his rookie contract expired. For a second straight year, it will be the Vikings who end that period.

The veteran starter has an agreement in place to stay in Minnesota, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Risner will rejoin the Vikings on a one-year deal. The team’s eventual Ezra Cleveland replacement, following a midseason trade, made 11 starts last season.

The past two offseasons have added some unexpected chapters to Risner’s NFL career. A Broncos starter in every game he played with his original franchise, the proven guard did not generate interest in free agency last year — to the point he entered the season unsigned. Although Risner made his way into Minnesota’s lineup early in his tenure, he once again failed to command a lucrative deal in free agency. Another Vikings parachute has emerged, however, and the five-year veteran will be a clear option to start once again.

After a handful of guards with similar experience to Risner scored quality deals as free agents in 2023, this year’s record-setting cap spike brought monster deals for a few. Robert Hunt is now a $20M-per-year player, while four other guards (Jonah Jackson, Kevin Dotson, Damien Lewis, Jon Runyan Jr.) landed pacts worth at least $10M per annum. Risner did not join those blockers on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, as last year’s free agency odyssey lowered expectations. But he returned to deliver as a dependable starter for the Vikings, who likely have another low-cost agreement in place with the Kansas State alum.

Pro Football Focus assigned Risner a mid-pack grade at guard (46th), but ESPN’s pass block win rate metric slotted him ninth. It will be interesting to see the numbers here, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates a 53-man roster bonus and per-game roster bonuses are present in this contract.

Beginning his Twin Cities tenure as a backup behind Cleveland and Ed Ingram, Risner became a full-time player once the Vikings traded Cleveland to the Jaguars at the deadline. He initially replaced an injured Cleveland before becoming the team’s replacement. Two years remain on Ingram’s rookie contract, and the Vikings still have Christian Darrisaw tied to a rookie deal.