Nov 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Brandon Powell (4) celebrates after a touchdown with guard Dalton Risner (66) against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Dalton Risner is ready — in fact, he’s been ready.
The Minnesota Vikings opened Risner’s practice window on Monday, a signal that the veteran offensive lineman will return to action before too long and perhaps be inserted into the starting lineup.
And according to Risner, there’s no mystery about his injury recovery. He said this week that he’s itching to play and has been healed for a while. “I’m in football shape. I’ve been ready. This isn’t the first day I’ve been healthy. So, I’m ready to roll. Grateful to be out there practicing,” Risner told Star Tribune, just six days before his Vikings host the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The “isn’t the first day I’ve been healthy” remark is intriguing because one might ask what the Vikings were waiting for regarding his activation. Perhaps details will emerge in the coming days.
Where Risner fits on the offensive line is up in the air. Per him, however, he can do it all. “I’m comfortable at right and left, whatever guard position it is, truly whatever position they want me to play, I’m ready to go,” Risner said Monday.
Risner now has three weeks to be added to the active roster, meaning he will be eligible to play on Sunday, October 20th, versus the Detroit Lions, Thursday, October 24th, at the Los Angeles Rams, or in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts. Truth be told, it sounds like he could be available this weekend. Stay tuned.
Left guard Blake Brandel is not in line to encounter a bench assignment, but Ed Ingram is suspect on the line’s other side. These are Ingram’s Pro Football Focus grades via pass-blocking since Week 1:
Risner provides an inverse skill set to Ingram — he’s a better pass protector than a run blocker. His insertion into the starting lineup might boil down to what the coaching staff deems more critical: a run-blocking guard or pass-blocking asset. Thankfully, the choices between Risner and Ingram are clear.
During the summer of 2023, Vikings loyalists pounded the table for the then-free-agent Risner. In September 2023, Minnesota’s front office finally obliged, adding the veteran lineman on a one-year deal. He stole folks’ hearts with his performance and lovable persona, but when the 2024 offseason rolled around, Risner didn’t initially re-sign with the Vikings until May. Fans rejoiced, but then Risner’s summer bent underwhelmingly, mainly because of the injury.
Risner’s overall PFF grade of 57.1 didn’t set records, but his 67.4 pass-blocking score was music to the ears of Vikings fans. When the 2023 season wrapped up and former left guard Ezra Cleveland was long gone via trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars, most fans believed Risner would re-sign in Minnesota after a successful first campaign. But then March, April, and most of May hit — with crickets.
He finally signed in late May and, five months later, could be on the cusp of regaining his starting job.
The aforementioned Ingram said about Risner’s return and the would-be RG competition this week: “I feel like competition is always healthy. It pushes everybody to go harder, so you don’t get complacent and get comfortable, and I kinda like that.”
The Vikings are favored to defeat the Lions by two on Sunday.
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.