Why the Same Dance for Dalton Risner?
Remember when the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line was absolutely terrible? It’s remarkable how long ago that feels like, but even before the massive spending spree this offseason, it had taken a step forward. Among those was the signing of Dalton Risner two years ago.
Dalton Risner has been a curious free agent for the past two seasons, and that isn’t changing even after the Minnesota Vikings moved on.
Kirk Cousins was under center, and the guard position seemed like a lost cause. Ed Ingram proved to be terrible, and Ezra Cleveland wasn’t much better. For whatever reason, the Vikings waited quite some time to sign the free agent Risner, and he credits the fans for helping to get that deal done.
It was the same song and dance last offseason. Risner was something of a stabilizing force up front for Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and yet he wasn’t an immediate priority to return. Ultimately, Minnesota blinked and brought back the guard for a second season. With both Will Fries and Donovan Jackson set to take the starting roles this season, Risner is certain to land elsewhere.
The remarkable part is that it hasn’t happened yet for Dalton Risner.
Sure, Risner is set to be 30 years old. Yes, he isn’t a perfect player. No, he doesn’t do well getting pushed against the run. Still, he’s got 87 games (81 starts) under his belt at the highest level. He’s a strong pass-blocker, and he’s a good teammate.
At this point in his career, and especially during the offseason, he’s not going to command a life-changing amount of money. Still, the veteran remains twisting in the wind and looking for a new home.
For a league that is so determined by the prowess of protection for a quarterback, it’s difficult to believe there are 64 better starting options than Risner. He still has plenty of good football in him, and former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden seems to agree as well.
It was unusual how much effort Minnesota Vikings fans had to put in to get Risner a contract here. It’s even more weird how long he has continued to sit on the open market each year.
Remember, the Houston Texans willingly traded assets for Ed Ingram
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 daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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