Former Denver Broncos offensive guard Dalton Risner on Monday Night Football during his first start with the Minnesota Vikings. U.S. Bank Stadium, October 23rd, 2023. Risner started for an injured Ezra Cleveland.
The Minnesota Vikings have decided that Dalton Risner will be one of the players they use an injured reserve designation to start the season. That’s an understandable decision given his inability to stay on the field this preseason. He is a known commodity, and there is a level of trust when he is healthy. What happens after Week 4 though?
When the Minnesota Vikings brought back Dalton Risner this offseason the presumed reasoning was to compete for a starting spot at guard. Blake Brandel had yet to play the position, and Ed Ingram looked as though he hadn’t played much of it at times. Risner won’t be on the initial 53-man roster, but he could return and immediately assume a role.
Brandel and Ingram have plenty to prove when the games start to count. Brandel filled in admirably last season as a backup tackle. He won’t be tasked with doing that anymore, and it stands to reason that he could provide a boost by playing a bit easier position on the interior offensive line. He will get to put together a few games worth of film and allow Kevin O’Connell and his staff an evaluation period at game speed.
That, too, is where Ingram starts his season. Ingram was the only starter for Minnesota to play in the second preseason game. The Vikings clearly needed to see more from their right guard, and he simply hadn’t taken the developmental steps expected of him. He will now get a chance not to feel someone breathing down his neck from the sidelines for a few games. Unfortunately, poor performance could mean he is swapped out when Risner returns.
Risner expects to start in the NFL. Both of his last two free agent experiences have gone poorly, and he believes the tape speaks to what he should be viewed as. The Vikings never got to see him in action this preseason, and now he’ll need to get right before he can challenge for a spot.
If either of the starting guards leaves a door open, Risner should have a straightforward path to playing time. His return, coming a handful of weeks into the season, gives the Vikings a chance to determine what they have in the form of everyone else.
Being healthy could boost the depth of the team as a whole. Since joining the organization, Risner has been among the fans’ favorites.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.\