A Weird Twist at Vikings Training Camp
The Minnesota Vikings 2024 version of training camp kicked off this week, a mixed bag because left tackle Christian Darrisaw was extended through the end of 2029, but cornerback Mekhi Blackmon was lost for the season to an ACL tear.
A Weird Twist at Vikings Training Camp
There’s no shortage of intrigue as roster battles heat up to determine the 53-man roster. Along the way, one weird twist has dribbled out of the few days of training camp — Dalton Risner at an unnatural spot, right guard.
Risner has habitually played left guard during his five-season career, so moving to the right side would be a brave new world. Often, talented guards can switch spots and not miss a beat, but it’s not a rubberstamp. There’s a chance that Risner wouldn’t be as effective at right guard as left guard, so it’s a waiting game for a verdict — or if the position change sticks at all.
The beloved Viking joined the roster last September after the team’s fans loudly endorsed his signing for weeks. He watched on the bench for a few games but joined the starting lineup when left guard Ezra Cleveland encountered an injury. Soon after, onlookers learned that Risner was a superior pass-protector to Cleveland, and Minnesota’s front office shipped Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars via trade for a late-round draft pick. Risner made the left guard job his own for the season’s remainder.
Yet, the 2024 offseason arrived, and the Vikings appeared to have no swift interest in a reunion. In fact, it took about five months for a Risner-Vikings relationship to materialize and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah ultimately signed him back at the end of May.
Fast forward to June minicamp, and head coach Kevin O’Connell personally thickened the plot for Risner. He announced a three-way roster battle for two offensive guard spots involving Risner, Blake Brandel, and Ed Ingram.
O’Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show in June, “We bring back Dalton Risner, who’s gonna compete like crazy at the guard spot with both Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel.”
And with training camp underway, that competition is in living color, with Brandel getting reps at left guard and Ingram + Risner battling for the right side. We polled Vikings fans one month ago about their prediction for the guard battle, and Risner was an overwhelming favorite to start, at least per the masses’ prediction:
While Risner could still score an upset, he’s realistically battling for the RG spot at the start of training camp and may morph into a reservist player by September.
The Vikings’ first preseason game is 15 days away.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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