A few games into the season, the Minnesota Vikings made a smart acquisition of offensive lineman Dalton Risner to a value contract; they may be able to duplicate that performance in 2024.
A reunion between Risner and the Vikings was highlighted in a list of the top team fits for each of the greatest remaining NFL free agents by ESPN’s Matt Bowen.
“For Risner, who recorded a pass block win percentage of 95.5% last season (fifth among guards) while allowing just two sacks, a return to Minnesota makes the most sense at this point,” Bowen wrote on Monday, May 20. “As a run-blocker in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, he demonstrated a rugged play style and could drop anchor in pass protection to shut down interior rush lanes.” Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel are currently scheduled to start for Minnesota.
The most recent remarks made by Risner were made last month at a charity golf tournament during an interview with Topeka, Kansas’s WIBW, a CBS affiliate.
Though the offensive lineman has been open and honest about it over the offseason, Risner’s belief that the team undervalued him following a strong campaign may be the biggest barrier to his return to Minnesota.
