Dalton Risner

Bengals Make RG Switch

September 29th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

SEPTEMBER 29: Cincinnati did opt to make a switch at right guard, starting Rivers in place of Risner for their Monday night matchup with the Broncos.

SEPTEMBER 26: The Bengals are considering a change at right guard for Week 4 after veteran Dalton Risner‘s struggles in the last two weeks.

Lucas Patrick won the starting job out of training camp, but landed on injured reserve after Week 1 with a calf injury. He will be eligible to return in Week 6.

The Bengals were originally planning to start Risner until then, but he injured his calf in Week 3 with rookie Jalen Rivers finishing the game.

Though Risner appears to be healthy this week – he was a full participant in practice on Thursday – head coach Zac Taylor indicated (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that the team was considering starting Rivers in Week 4. Risner has not played well this year; his 42.4 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is the ninth-worst among guards with at least 125 snaps this year.

Rivers only received a 50.7 grade from PFF in Week 3, but practicing with the first-team could improve his chemistry and confidence for Week 4.

“This week, I’m getting some reps with the 1s,” said Rivers, per Conway. “Getting the cadence down. Being next to the guys, [center Ted Karras] and [right tackle Amarius Mims], just gelling with them. If I am in on Monday…it’s good to gel with the guys. Monday Night Football, everyone is watching, they are going to trust me, I’m going to make the most of my opportunity.”

Starting Rivers would introduce a second rookie into the Bengals’ starting OL. Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild has started all three games at LG, with somewhat disappointing results. His 52.3 PFF grade ranks among the bottom-20 guards (min. 125 snaps).

There is certainly some risk with starting a pair of rookie offensive linemen, though they won’t be responsible for protecting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Rivers and Fairchild would instead be playing in front of backup Jake Browning, who has struggled under pressure since taking over the starting job. It’s not that the Bengals don’t care about Browning’s health, but they might be willing to roll the dice with him under cetner rather than Burrow.

The Bengals have struggled to develop their drafted offensive linemen over the last few years, but starting Rivers could help his long-term progression. He would get starting reps against starting-caliber competition, which could be a baptism by fire that helps him in the long run.

Contract Details: T. Smith, Z. Smith, 49ers

September 26th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from recently agreed-upon contracts:

Tyler Smith, G (Cowboys). Four years, $96MM. Receiving $41.66MM guaranteed at signing, the NFL’s highest-paid guard secured a rolling guarantee structure. Smith’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries are locked in at signing. A $12MM portion of his 2027 compensation becomes fully guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year, per Spotrac. A $19MM chunk of Smith’s 2028 compensation shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. On Day 5 of the ’28 league year, Smith stands to see $6.6MM of his ’29 compensation lock in. The Cowboys would owe Smith a $21MM option bonus by Week 1 of the 2029 season; a $20MM option bonus would be due by Week 1 of the 2030 slate. Four void years are in this contract.
Colton McKivitz, RT (49ers). Three years, $45MM. Of McKivitz’s $27MM guaranteed, $18.71MM is guaranteed at signing (per OverTheCap). McKivitz’s money is guaranteed in 2025 and ’26, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who notes an early guarantee date exists in this contract as well. McKivitz’s $12.67MM 2027 option bonus features an $8.29MM injury guarantee; $6.29MM of the latter number vests on April 1, 2026, giving the veteran tackle some early security. Another $2MM of that bonus becomes guaranteed on April 1, 2027. McKivitz’s 2028 compensation is nonguaranteed. Because of the option bonuses and four void years, the deal does not bring a $10MM cap number until 2028.
Za’Darius Smith, OLB (Eagles). One year, $4.25MM. Initially reported as being worth up to $9MM, Smith’s Philadelphia contract carries $4.25MM in base value, per Florio. There are $2MM in sack-based incentives included, and a $500K Pro Bowl bonus is part of the package as well. The “up to” report also brought a minor inflation, with Florio adding Smith maxing out incentives would bring the value to $8.25MM.
Dalton Risner, G (Bengals). One year, $1.34MM. This value (reported by OverTheCap) is barely above the veteran minimum, but with Risner on the Bengals’ Week 1 roster, it is fully guaranteed (rather than just the $168K guarantee-at-signing figure). This is another pay cut for Risner, who earned $2.78MM in 2023 and $2.41MM last season.

Bengals Place G Lucas Patrick On IR

September 9th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Bengals signed Dalton Risner in late August, they gave Lucas Patrick the right guard job. Patrick did not make it out of Cincinnati’s Week 1 game, and he will be shut down for a while.

The Bengals placed Patrick on IR today. That will keep the veteran interior O-lineman out until at least Week 6. The Bengals signed defensive tackle Mike Pennel from their practice squad to fill the empty roster spot.

Zac Taylor had said the calf injury Patrick suffered would sideline him for a least a couple weeks. The Bengals will not carry him on their 53-man roster while he recovers, and it will be interesting to see if Patrick can regain his starting RG job. The Patrick-Cody Ford competition did not impress, leading to the Risner signing. Risner replaced Patrick in Cincinnati’s lineup following the injury, and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway notes the seventh-year veteran will start in his place in Week 2.

Patrick signed a one-year, $2.1MM deal. Although the pact came with just $200K guaranteed, Patrick is a vested veteran and saw his full $2.1MM number lock in earlier this month. Risner is on a one-year, $1.34MM deal. The latter has become known for slow-moving free agency markets, having agreed to terms with the Vikings in September 2023 and with the Bengals just before this season. In between, Risner waited until May to rejoin the Vikings.

Risner, 30, has made 81 career starts. Patrick, 32, has started 65 games in a nine-year career that has included time at guard and center. Risner is a pure guard, having started for four seasons in Denver and having lined up as a Vikings first-stringer in 19 games from 2023-24. Making in-season moves to starting lineups in each of the past two seasons, Risner is familiar with this routine. He will have a chance to take Patrick’s job, one neither he nor Ford seized during training camp. The Bengals replaced both their guards this offseason, using Patrick and third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild at the positions in Week 1.

A 12th-year veteran, Pennel joined the Bengals last week and played in Week 1 as a gameday elevation. Spending four of the past six seasons with the Chiefs, Pennel has now seen game action with six teams.

The 25-game starter lined up as a Kansas City first-stringer last season, playing 30% of the team’s defensive snaps. Pennel lined up for 22 Bengals defensive plays Sunday. He serves as experienced depth behind B.J. Hill and Tedarell Slaton, with The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. indicating the team had aimed for depth behind its new nose tackle.

The Bengals also will give Isaiah Foskey a second chance, as veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports the former Saints second-round defensive end is joining Cincinnati’s practice squad. While Foskey registered zero sacks in 27 Saints games before failing to make their 53-man roster this year, he played under new Bengals DC Al Golden at Notre Dame. Golden was the Fighting Irish’s DC in 2022, Foskey’s final season in South Bend.

The Bengals also signed defensive end Myles Cole to their P-squad and released defensive end Isaiah Thomas.

Lucas Patrick Named Bengals Starting RG

September 3rd, 2025 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals have finally settled on their starting offensive line ahead of Week 1. While most of the spots had previously been settled, there were still questions about the team’s choice at right guard. While speaking with reporters today, coach Zac Taylor revealed that Lucas Patrick will get the starting gig to begin the season (per ESPN’s Ben Baby).

Patrick was added on a one-year contract this offseason to provide some competition for holdover Cody Ford, who started nine games during his second season in Cincy. We heard in early August that Ford appeared to have the inside track to keep the job. Patrick sat out a handful of early practices thanks to injury, and his modest $200K in guaranteed money made him a logical cut candidate.

The Bengals added some more depth to the position when they recently signed Dalton Risner, leading to some belief that the recent addition could suddenly be in pole position for the starting RG job. Instead, it was Patrick who won out, although Taylor warned that he wouldn’t be afraid to pivot if the need arises. This means Risner is temporarily the backup guard, while Ford represents the team’s main backup OT option.

Patrick brings plenty of experience to his new squad. The lineman spent the first part of his career as a depth piece in Green Bay, but he emerged as a starting guard in 2020 and starting center in 2021. That performance earned him a two-year contract from the Bears, and after being limited to seven games (five starts) in 2022, the lineman started 15 of his 16 appearances in 2023. The 32-year-old spent the 2024 campaign with the Saints, where he started 10 games.

Patrick’s versatility has clearly been valued by his teams, but the advanced metrics haven’t been especially fond of his on-field production. The veteran has generally graded out as a below-average guard or center throughout his career, although he rebounded with a 37th-place finish (among 77 qualifying guards) in 2024.

The rest of the Bengals offensive line features left tackle Orlando Brown, rookie left guard Dylan Fairchild, center Ted Karras, and right tackle Amarius Mims.

Bengals Sign G Dalton Risner

August 28th, 2025 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 28: The deal is now official. When speaking to the media on Thursday, head coach Zac Taylor declined to say which guard spot Risner will spend time at. As ESPN’s Ben Baby notes, though, there is optimism he will be available to Cincinnati in time for Week 1.

AUGUST 27: Dalton Risner has secured another opportunity late in free agency. Making a habit of signing well after the market opens, the veteran guard is joining the Bengals, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz tweets.

The former Broncos and Vikings guard had visited the Bengals recently. He will look to fill a void as a starter on an O-line that has four other locked-in first-stringers.

Both the Seahawks and Steelers showed interest in Risner, whose market once again did not form after he spent a season as a primary starter. Underperforming in free agency has perhaps defined Risner’s career, but the former second-round pick has continued to bounce back from those disappointments to extend his run as an NFL starter. The Bengals are adding a guard with 81 starts on his resume.

Back in April, the Bengals were on the Risner radar. They will add him after an underwhelming guard audition. Cody Ford and Lucas Patrick joined Cordell Volson in competing for the team’s right guard job. Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild is set to take over at left guard, and the Bengals have yet another veteran option for the other spot. Ford joined Risner in the 2019 second round, while Patrick arrived as a 2017 UDFA.

Risner started 19 games for the Vikings over the past two seasons. He waited until September 2023 to sign with Minnesota but re-signed in June 2024. Pro Football Focus graded Risner as the No. 22 overall guard last season. Risner replaced Ed Ingram in the Vikes’ starting lineup midway through last season. The team dropped Ingram via trade (to the Texans) this offseason and once again let Risner linger in free agency. The Vikes overhauled their interior O-line — via the signings of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries and first-round investment in Donovan Jackson — and Risner will spend his age-30 season in Cincinnati.

The Bengals retained Patrick and Ford on their active roster but waived Volson — a three-year starter who was benched late last season — with an injury designation. Volson reverted to IR today. Risner has experience replacing starters in-season, having done so in 2023 (after the Ezra Cleveland trade) and 2024. The Bengals may need him earlier, however.

Bengals, Seahawks To Host Veteran G Dalton Risner; Steelers Also An Option

August 19th, 2025 at 5:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

TODAY, 5:45pm: Risner had a strong workout for the Bengals but didn’t land a contract, according to Schultz. However, the two sides are expected to “stay in touch,” so perhaps the veteran could be a target for the organization down the road.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Risner is set to meet with the Seahawks. The Steelers are also an option for the veteran offensive lineman. Per Fowler, the player is determined to take all of these visits before settling on a final decision.

MONDAY, 9:30pm: Veteran offensive guard Dalton Risner is set to visit the Bengals on Tuesday, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Risner named the Bengals as one of his potential landing spots back in April. Months later, he will go to Cincinnati with the hopes of signing with his third NFL team. The 30-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Vikings and started 19 games amid their offensive line injuries.

Risner has been a starter for his entire six-year career, but he has struggled to garner commensurate interest as a free agent. He first hit the open market in 2023 as a four-year starter for the Broncos, but he didn’t sign in Minnesota until September. The Vikings re-signed him in May last offseason, but Risner has once again remained available deep into the preseason this year.

In Cincinnati, Risner can compete for a starting job at either guard spot. The Bengals’ current first-team guards, Lucas Patrick and Dylan Fairchild, were both acquired this offseason and have an early edge on 2024 holdovers Cordell Volson and Cody Ford. Patrick, an eight-year veteran, started 26 games for the Saints over the last two years, while Fairchild’s exploits as the University of Georgia’s left guard made him a third-round pick in April’s draft.

A poor showing from the Bengals’ offensive line on Monday night may give Risner some more leverage when negotiating a potential deal. Cincinnati has been looking to add interior OL depth, per Schultz, and Risner’s strong pedigree as a pass protector may be especially appealing in front of Joe Burrow.

Dalton Risner Expects To Sign Soon; Vikings, Broncos, Bengals On Radar

April 18th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

With the start of the draft less than one week away, little movement is expected as it pertains to free agency. Dalton Risner is among the top offensive line options still on the market, and he could see himself signing in the near future, though.

The veteran guard has 87 appearances and 81 starts to his name, and he could occupy a first-team role upon arrival with a new employer. Risner, 29, has gone through a lengthy free agent process for each of the past two years, both times inking a deal with the Vikings. Minnesota’s offseason has included the addition of Will Fries along the interior of the O-line, however, so another Vikings pact could entail backup duties in Risner’s case. The team is nevertheless one of three in position to agree to a deal.

“Minnesota has shown interest in bringing me back, but only to an extent,” Risner said in a video posted to TikTok. “I will be on a team soon, I could imagine.”

The former second-rounder noted he is currently in talks with multiple teams and specifically named the Broncos and Bengals as other potential landing spots. Risner spent his first four seasons in Denver, operating as a full-time starter at left guard. He topped out as PFF’s 28th-ranked guard during that time, a feat which was surpassed this past campaign in Minnesota (68.1 overall grade, good for 22nd amongst guards). The Broncos already have Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers under contract for multiple years, so Risner would be in line for a backup gig in the event he returned to the Mile High City.

The Bengals’ O-line setup has seen alterations at the guard spot during free agency. Alex Cappa was released, while Lucas Patrick was added on a one-year deal. The latter has started 64 games in his eight-year career, and he will compete for a first-team spot during training camp. Cody Ford was re-signed last month, and as a result he will be able to handle a swing tackle role and/or see playing time at guard if needed. Adding Risner to the mix would give Cincinnati another experienced option along the interior.

All three teams in question have the finances needed to add Risner, ranging from $16.56MM to $23.44MM in cap space as things stand. Minnesota, Denver and Cincinnati will of course need to set aside resources for the incoming draft class as well as other moves, but an agreement on this front could come together at any time.

Vikings Activate Dalton Risner From IR

November 2nd, 2024 at 4:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings have activated guard Dalton Risner from injured reserve ahead of their Week 9 tilt with the Colts, giving them more options along their offensive line as they contend with Christian Darrisaw‘s season-ending injury.

Darrisaw’s absence has left a hole at left tackle in Minnesota, with the team trading for Cam Robinson to fill the void last week. But Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell declined to name Robinson his new starter ahead of Week 9, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Blake Brandel, who won the left guard job after Risner injured his back in training camp, made three starts at left tackle in 2022 with 273 total snaps at the position across five games. He could slide back outside with Risner retaking his spot at left guard, where he started 11 games for Minnesota last year.

“I feel great about having Dalton available,” O’Connell said Friday, per Goessling. “He knows he’s got my confidence and he’ll be ready to go when called upon.”

The Vikings could also call upon veteran David Quessenberry to start at left tackle if they want to maintain their current offensive line unit but don’t feel that Robinson is ready to start.

However, the swift move by Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to acquire Robinson in the wake of Darrisaw’s injury suggests that Minnesota intends to slide him into the starting lineup as quickly as possible. Ideally, he would be a one-for-one replacement for Darrisaw without forcing any other changes across the offensive line.

The Vikings also placed defensive lineman Taki Taimani on injured reserve, opening a roster spot for Risner’s activation. Minnesota also used a standard practice squad elevation on defensive lineman Jalen Redmond for Week 9.

Vikings Open G Dalton Risner’s Practice Window

October 14th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dalton Risner is nearing a return to action. The Vikings guard had his practice window opened on Monday, per a team announcement.

The move allows Risner to resume practicing. He must be activated in the next 21 days to avoid reverting to season-ending injured reserve. Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated at the beginning of the month Risner would not be ready to practice when first eligible, but he has clearly made progress since then.

The 29-year-old landed on IR in August, a move which guaranteed he would be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. The Vikings took advantage of the NFL’s new offseason IR rules by designating him for return ahead of roster cutdowns. Doing so prevented the team for needing to name him to the initial roster, although he did use up one of the eight available in-season activations for the campaign.

Once Risner is back in the picture, he will offer a starting-caliber option up front for the undefeated Vikings. The former Bronco started each of his 62 appearances with Denver, and after plenty of time on the open market he landed a one-year Vikings pact. The former second-rounder wound up making 15 appearances during his debut Minnesota season, including 11 starts.

Once again, a longer free agent spell than expected ensued, but Risner ultimately re-signed with the Vikings. The terms of that pact – one year, $2.41MM – certainly do not guarantee a first-team role in 2024, and Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel have handled guard duties to date. Risner could look to unseat the latter once he if back to full health, although Brandel’s 2024 PFF grade (64.5) is the highest of his career.

Minnesota’s offense has performed better than expected with Sam Darnold at quarterback this season, and his market value has received a notable boost given how things currently stand. Bringing Risner back into the fold will help that unit once he is activated.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson To Resume Practicing

October 3rd, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Shortly before the Vikings’ upcoming London game, the team will designate T.J. Hockenson for return. The Pro Bowl tight end will practice for the first time this season tomorrow, head coach Kevin O’Connell said.

Hockenson has been rehabbing the ACL and MCL tears which ended his 2023 campaign. That injury brought an abrupt end to his first full season in Minnesota, one in which he delivered career highs in receptions (95) and yards (960). Week 5 marks the first point at which he can return to practice, although an activation from the PUP list after only one session should of course not be expected.

Minnesota’s decision to open Hockenson’s return window is nevertheless a sign of his progress in rehabbing his knee. The former first-rounder will not be in the picture for Sunday’s game, and the Vikings will have their bye week following the London contest. Week 7 had been floated as a realistic return date for Hockenson, although that may no longer be the case. The Vikings’ next game after that Lions contest will be against the Rams on a Thursday, something which was taken into account regarding the timing of this decision.

“Friday gives us 21 days, and 21 days from then gives us the bye weekend, two football games with us playing on Thursday, the second week after the bye,” O’Connell said (via the team’s website). “So that gives us some flexibility at 20 days to have him either ready to go, see where he’s at and his availability for the Lions game, and then, like I said, we have the flexibility for the following [week].”

Whenever Hockenson is back on the roster, his return will be welcomed on an offense which has fared surprisingly well with Sam Darnold at quarterback. Minnesota ranks fourth in the NFL in scoring and ninth in total offense; being at full strength at the skill positions could help sustain that early success. Hockenson is attached to the four-year, $66MM extension he signed last summer which made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league. The Iowa product’s long-term health will thus remain a key priority for the team, but he is in line to return soon.

In another injury update, O’Connell noted guard Dalton Risner will likely not have his practice window opened this week. The 29-year-old was placed on injured reserve (but designated for return) before the roster cutdown deadline, using one of Minnesota’s eight IR activations in the process. Risner was forced to miss the first four weeks of the season as a result, but it appears he will also be sidelined for at least one more until he returns to practice.

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