Dalton Risner visits Vikings: Would he upgrade the offensive line?
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell sees free agent offensive guard Dalton Risner's visit with Minnesota as the team "investigating the possibility of making [the offensive line] even better."
"I look at it as the personnel department, in conjunction with our staff, we're always looking for ways to find good football players, when they're available," O'Connell commented on Risner's visit to Vikings training camp.
Risner, a four-year starting left guard for the Broncos, was in Minnesota on a free agent visit Tuesday as the Vikings enter week two of training camp.
"We really just wanted to bring him in and get to know him a little bit better," said O'Connell. "Use the process of a visit to do that and see if we can possibly take what we think is a strong group and make it even better. It's going to be a process that starts with that visit and I think it's gone really well so far. We'll just continue to see if that's something that makes sense for both ourselves and Dalton."
Risner allowed 29 pressures in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus. Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram, Minnesota's current starting left and right guards, respectively, allowed 55 and 63 pressures, respectively.
When asked if the Vikings have worked out Risner on the field, O'Connell responded, "It's just been meetings and getting him a physical. Then just some dialogue. He has a relationship previously with our o-line coach. I had never met him before. Getting him in the building in a setting where we can get to know him a little better."
According to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, the Vikings could wind up signing Risner but a deal isn't imminent.
I’m told Dalton Risner’s visit with the #Vikings has concluded. Though there could be a deal at some point, I wouldn’t expect one is imminent.
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) August 1, 2023
Current Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper and assistant offensive line coach Justin Ruscati were both with the Broncos from 2019-2021, so they have familiarity with Risner.
"It's great to have this process to help worth through making sure it's a great fit and that it works for both sides," said O'Connell.
The Vikings head coach wouldn't get into specifics of how he sees Risner fitting in the Vikings offensive line.
"That's not anything that I can say as far as what his role or his responsibility would be depth chart wise," said O'Connell. "It would be purely speculation on my part to envision what a player, not on our team, would potentially do to that situation."
Risner's pass blocking grade, according to PFF, was 18.5 points higher than Cleveland's and 30 points higher than Ingram's in 2022. Cleveland and Ingram both had better run blocking grades than Risner.
"One thing I will say is we want this to be as competitive at all positions as we can," O'Connell said. "We've got great competition already at that position... Purely something about taking something where we feel is pretty strong and investigating the possibility of making it even better."
