PFF Has Strange Choice for Vikings’ Most Important Free Agent
How about Byron Murphy? Maybe Camryn Bynum?
PFF Has Strange Choice for Vikings’ Most Important Free Agent
Nope. According to Pro Football Focus, the free agent that the Minnesota Vikings cannot afford to lose is offensive guard Dalton Risner.
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman identified one free agent [to be] from each NFL team considered indispensable last week, and for Minnesota, that was Risner, who recently finished Year No. 2 in Minnesota. “Risner made nine starts for the Vikings this season and earned a career-high 76.1 PFF pass-blocking grade. Interior protection has long been a problem for Minnesota, but Risner is an affordable option who has been around for two seasons already,” Wasserman explained.
If one polled Vikings fans, Risner may not make the Top 5 list, but to each their own.
Wasserman added, “Credible pass protection will be key for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is recovering from a serious knee injury.”
He’s correct about McCarthy. However, Risner has one detriment on his resume — run-blocking. The veteran guard is a wonderful pass-blocker but struggles to plow lanes for running backs, and the Vikings ranked 20th per rushing DVOA in 2024, a metric that must improve in 2025 and beyond if head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to maximize his offense.
Risner produced a 67.0 overall PPF grade this season, with 76.2 representing his pass protection and 57.4 in run blocking. His mark checked in as the NFL’s 42nd-best guard overall and 95th-best in run blocking.
Minnesota finished the 2024 campaign with a 14-3 record before flaming out in the postseason with a one-and-done ending. After losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wildcard Round, O’Connell specifically called out his interior offensive line as a culprit. “There’s no question that we got to be able to find a way to give a quarterback time. Especially with players like Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, we got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket, starting first and foremost,” O’Connell told reporters after the loss.
That comment sparked a sentiment of forthcoming change, perhaps with Minnesota revamping the offensive line’s interior, Risner included.
O’Connell added, “There can be a thousand excuses made. But, for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
The Vikings have about $60 million in cap space, with dead money from Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter’s contract falling off the books. These are possible free-agent fixes if they ignore PFF about re-signing Risner:
- Drew Dalman (C, Falcons)
- Will Fries (G, Colts)
- Ryan Kelly (C, Colts)
- Teven Jenkins (G, Bears)
- Trey Smith (OG, Chiefs)
- Kevin Zeitler (G, Lions)
Most fans would consider cornerback Byron Murphy the free agent the team cannot afford to lose.
These are the Vikings’ free agents entering the offseason:
- Cam Akers (RB)
- Jonathan Bullard (DT)
- Camryn Bynum (S)
- Sam Darnold (QB)
- Dan Feeney (G/C)
- Stephon Gilmore (CB)
- Shaquill Griffin (CB)
- Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
- Theo Jackson (S)
- Aaron Jones (RB)
- Daniel Jones (QB)
- Patrick Jones II (OLB)
- Fabian Moreau (CB)
- Nick Mullens (QB)
- Johnny Mundt (TE)
- Byron Murphy (CB)
- Brandon Powell (WR)
- David Quessenberry (OT)
- Dalton Risner (OG)
- Cam Robinson (LT)
- Trent Sherfield (WR)
- Harrison Smith (S)
- Jerry Tillery (DT)
- Jihad Ward (OLB)
- Ryan Wright (P)
Risner will turn 30 this summer.
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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