The Dalton Risner Gamble May Not Have Paid Off, So is it Time to Change Course?
Part of the thinking in Eagan must have been that Dalton Risner would get scooped up for a medium-sized deal prior to the 2024 NFL Draft. If so, then the comp pick formula would have probably yielded another selection for the Vikings.
While chatting with KFAN’s Paul Allen in mid-March, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke about the potential to add picks. Allen suggested that the Vikings will scoop up a pair of 3rd-round picks. Adofo-Mensah’s response: “There’s a calculation. So it could be two 3rds, but we should, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t at least one 3rd. And then some other ones.”
Earlier in the same conversation, Allen tossed a Risner question over to Minnesota’s GM. Adofo-Mensah said some words but didn’t say anything: “Where we’ve wanted to be is best available; that’s where we’ve tried to set ourselves up both in the draft and from an acquisition standpoint, so every option is on the table.”
So, not a glowing endorsement when it comes to bringing Risner back. Does that perspective need to change?
Dalton Risner and The Changing Circumstances
People can disagree, but the approach remains: the Vikings genuinely are trying to compete in 2024. If they weren’t, then there would be no reason to sign players like Aaron Jones, Sam Darnold, and Shaq Griffin to 1-year deals.
Can Dalton Risner get grafted into that approach? The veteran may provide better performance than any of the existing options. Right now, Blake Brandel looks like the lead candidate, but it’s possible Ed Ingram gets flipped over. Otherwise, there could be a turn to Dan Feeney, Michael Jurgens, or one of the other depth options.
For a time, slow playing the decision on Risner made some sense.
Part of the motivation likely was to let the veteran walk, saving cap space and potentially snagging a compensatory pick in the process. Recently, Over the Cap‘s Nick Korte explored that precise idea: “Another possibility is that the Vikings, like many, expected Dalton Risner to sign a contract before the draft–but unbelievably, this is the second straight season he has failed to do so.”
The reasoning squares with the sentiment from ESPN’s Jordan Reid from back in March. Reid’s thoughts, “The #Vikings are clearly loading up for a trade up for a QB. They’re also a Dalton Risner or KJ Osborn signing away from acquiring two extra third round comp picks in 2025 (Cousins/Hunter). Giving up next years second rounder was an easy decision.”
Stepping back from the comp pick angle, The Star Tribune‘s Andrew Krammer took on the topic. Krammer observes that the current leadership group doesn’t seem keen to invest in the iOL — an idea we’ve discussed on PurplePTSD — while leaving the door ajar for bringing Risner in: “The Vikings did not move to bring back Risner, who started 11 games last season after signing in September. But that doesn’t mean they won’t after seeing how the left guard spot shakes out this summer.”
There’s some wisdom in what Krammer is saying. The Vikings may look to see how things look throughout the spring and summer months before making a firm decision. If that’s their approach, though, then there is a distinct downside: potentially losing the chance to bring Dalton Risner back.
At basically any moment, the left guard can agree to a deal with any team in the NFL. The respected veteran seems unlikely to get as much money as he was originally hoping for, but that’s not to say a team won’t up their offer sooner rather than later. Lately, the news has been about receivers being scooped up, but maybe there’s a shift toward available offensive linemen.
The Vikings don’t have limitless cap space, but there are several options to clear some more room if it’s needed to get a contract across the finish line. The team has made several moves that are about winning in 2024, so circling back around to Risner would merely be an extension of that same logic.
Part of developing J.J. McCarthy means protecting the Wolverine from the wolves who pin their ears back on 3rd down. If Risner is the best option for the job — the GM’s self-stated criteria in the KFAN interview — then maybe seeing the relationship continue isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
Dalton Risner will turn 29 on July 13th. Given his age, the guard may be looking for a multi-year deal since the free agent chances won’t last forever.
Another Vikings Free Agency Dream Has Been Dashed
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.