Getty Dalton Risner looks ahead.
Although Minnesota Vikings starting guard Dalton Risner re-signed with the team in May, his future in September is far from secure.
Risner, who waited out three months of free agency in search of a starting guard contract, agreed to a team-friendly one-year deal to return to Minnesota on May 31.
Appearing at the first day of Vikings minicamps on June 4, Risner revealed that there wasn’t the interest he had hoped to see despite switching agents and coming off a season where he allowed only 30 pressures and zero sacks.
“I’m shocked. I still can’t figure out why the league doesn’t like him,” KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said on SKOR North’s “Mackey and Judd” podcast on June 6. “I get it — not a great run blocker — but it’s a passing league. Really great pass-blocker. But he told me there was no interest.”
Diving deeper into the terms of the contract, Wolfson said that the deal signals that his future for the 2024 season is far from secure. Risner’s $2.4 million contract has only a $600,000 guaranteed salary. If Risner is released, the Vikings are only on the hook for $1.1 million and just $500,000 if they trade him.
“I didn’t think he would be back because the Vikings weren’t willing to negotiate. It was a take-it-or-leave-it deal,” Wolfson said. “You look at the numbers. It’s an incredibly team-friendly contract. It screams: if he doesn’t play well in August, he’s not going to be here in September.”
Vikings Have Dalton Risner Working Behind Blake Brandel
Image courtesy of the Minnesota VikingsVikings offensive lineman Blake Brandel
Risner was a late addition to the Vikings roster last season after the team showed a lack of satisfaction at guard. He signed with the Vikings in Week 3 and won the starting guard spot by Week 7, effectively sending Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars at the trade deadline.
However, the Vikings have him on the second-team offensive line in spring drills and have touted Blake Brandel as the favorite for the starting left guard spot opposite of right guard Ed Ingram.
A 2020 sixth-round pick, Brandel agreed to a three-year, $9.5 million extension in March, months before Risner eventually took the deal he said the Vikings left on the table for him.
Earning $11.5 million in his career, Risner has far more experience than Brandel, starting 73 games in his five-year career compared to just five starts for Brandel.
Kevin O’Connell gave Brandel the nod, saying that he’s encouraged him to focus on the left guard spot after filling in at numerous positions throughout his career.
“Really thought Dalton did a lot of good things when he got here last year,” O’Connell said. “But at the same time, Blake has been a guy, really since he’s gotten here, who’s been asked to be ready to play two or three different spots at one time. So our challenge to Blake was really to embrace that left guard spot through the spring. Really get the teaching and the mastery of your craft at one spot, which he hasn’t been able to do since he’s been a Minnesota Vikings. We’ve seen the gains off that between, not only, Blake, but amongst those five offensive linemen.”
Kevin O’Connell Addresses Decision to Bring Risner Back
GettyDalton Risner #68 and Nick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.
While Brandel has the advantage for the starting left guard spot, O’Connell admitted that the decision to bring Risner in was to push the entire offensive line group and create healthy competition.
“There was a purpose and a plan of bringing (Risner) back, to create very competitive situation at that left guard spot,” O’Connell said. “We want to play the best five guys we can. Could see a bunch of different combinations of guys in there, especially as we allow that competition to naturally play out in a way where this time we have training camp. It’s not midseason, it’s four or five weeks into the season. (Risner has) got a year in the system under his belt. (He’s) a veteran player, he came in in great shape, ready to roll.”
Wolfson cast some concern over Risner’s future if he doesn’t win the starting job, however, depth is important on the offensive line and give the Vikings reason to keep Risner around even if Brandel holds onto the starting role.