Dalton Risner's Career Hits New Low After Being Cast Aside By Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are about to open the 2025 season, and if this year of the calendar means anything, it’s usually meant that Dalton Risner has been looking for a job. The former Vikings offensive lineman has waited deep into the free agent process each of the past three seasons before selecting a team for the upcoming year, and the tradition continued when he signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 28.

While Risner found his opportunity for the upcoming season, it came with a recent roadblock when Zac Taylor confirmed he wouldn’t be part of the starting lineup for the Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. With former Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears lineman Lucas Patrick winning the job, Risner may have to wait for his opportunity and may have hit a brand new low in the process.

Dalton Risner May Have to Wait for His Chance to Start with Bengals

Risner’s position to wait his turn is an unfamiliar one. After being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2019 draft, Risner has started in 81 of his 87 career games and has built a reputation for being a strong pass protector with a 4.9% career pressure rate allowed according to Pro Football Focus. Even when Risner sat behind Ed Ingram last year, his ascension into the starting lineup was delayed by a back injury and a couple of extra games to give Ingram a chance to keep his job.

After posting the second-highest PFF grade of his career at 67.0, it would have been understandable if the Vikings wanted to bring Risner back. There was even some interest on Risner’s side as recently as April when he posted a TikTok video saying “Minnesota has shown interest in bringing me back, but only to an extent.”

While Risner was officially cast aside by the Vikings when they selected Donovan Jackson in the first round of the draft a week later, he had already begun campaigning for his next team. Risner was spotted commenting on a stream by The Wrightway Sports Network a few weeks before his TikTok video and noted that he “Would LOVE to be a Bengal” drawing the attention of fans looking to protect Joe Burrow.

But those comments didn’t lead to an immediate signing. Instead, Risner waited through the offseason program and training camp to sign in Cincinnati. By then, he only had one week to learn the playbook, basically dooming him to be a reserve at least for the start of the season. 

There’s no guarantee that Patrick is a house of cards or a player that will remain in the lineup for the entire season. But Risner could have had a chance to topple him if he had signed earlier in the process. Even then, he could have had a job waiting for him in Minnesota even after Will Fries signed during free agency.

After waiting until the last minute each of the past two offseasons, it appeared that Risner didn’t learn his lesson and will be looking to get back into the starting lineup in the opening month of the season.

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