Dalton Risner to visit with Vikings

"We really just wanted to bring him in and get to know him a little better. Use the process of the visit to do that and see if we can possibly take what we think is a strong group and make it even better." - Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on Dalton Risner pic.twitter.com/athb9GsUHm

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 1, 2023

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"ThunderGod" said: There are a number of reasons for bringing him aboard. https://vikingsterritory.com/2023/news/opinion/could-this-dalton

Left guard Ezra Cleveland’s contract expires at the end of the 2023 season. It is unclear if Minnesota is dying to have him back beyond a rookie deal.

Latest from KOC is that the visit is going 'very well'. We'll see.

@"1VikesFan" said: Don't think adding him would hurt the OL 

@"greediron" said:

@"1VikesFan" said: Don't think adding him would hurt the OL 

If nothing else, it solidifies the depth at all positions.

@"JR44" said: Looks like a guy who knows how to get the most of his talents, if he can pull this off I say bring him in  =)

I didnt even notice she was wearing a dress?  :p

I'm going to have to defer to asking "the expert" on Risner...my daughter.  She lives in Colorado and she and her husband (and my grandkids) are avid Broncos fans first, Vikings fans second.  She (or he) will have the lowdown on Risner, and why the Broncos did not re-sign him.  They'll be here Saturday night (Montana vacay time!).  Maybe he's just not that good.  Maybe his stock plummeted when he accosted their QB last December and became persona non grata in the locker room.  I'll find out.

@"Montana Tom" said: I'm going to have to defer to asking "the expert" on Risner...my daughter.  She lives in Colorado and she and her husband (and my grandkids) are avid Broncos fans first, Vikings fans second.  She (or he) will have the lowdown on Risner, and why the Broncos did not re-sign him.  They'll be here Saturday night (Montana vacay time!).  Maybe he's just not that good.  Maybe his stock plummeted when he accosted their QB last December and became persona non grata in the locker room.  I'll find out.

Many clubs profess to hold sacred the locker room culture, I actually tend to believe it when it comes to Eagan, MN. 

We'll see what happens and if he gets a deal here or not. 

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"medaille" said:

@"kmillard" said: Last good guard was hutch. Bring him in ASAP!

I don't think it's settled that Risner is "good".  

It’s kind of interesting the PFF grades of all the guards
involved.  Both Cleveland and Ingram suck
at pass blocking but excel at run blocking but Dalton is equally as polarized
but in the opposite direction.  I mostly
find it interesting how Cleveland is 12 points better than Dalton overall
despite being so bad at pass protection.

Overall:
Dalton:  61.1

Cleveland:  73.5

Ingram:  57.1

 

Pass Blocking:

Dalton:  72.6

Cleveland:  54.1

Ingram:  42.6

 

Run Blocking:

Dalton:  53.4

Cleveland:  79.4

Ingram:  64.2

Its obvious here where he excels vs Cleveland or Ingram...With a statue in Kirko, a good pass blocking OG might not be a bad idea. 

Hell, maybe they are thinking about Risner vs Bradbury?

The pressure up the middle on our QB since he got here is ridiculous. 

Have we ever seen GB @ OG?

@"Bullazin" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"medaille" said:

@"kmillard" said: Last good guard was hutch. Bring him in ASAP!

I don't think it's settled that Risner is "good".  

It’s kind of interesting the PFF grades of all the guards
involved.  Both Cleveland and Ingram suck
at pass blocking but excel at run blocking but Dalton is equally as polarized
but in the opposite direction.  I mostly
find it interesting how Cleveland is 12 points better than Dalton overall
despite being so bad at pass protection.

Overall:
Dalton:  61.1

Cleveland:  73.5

Ingram:  57.1

 

Pass Blocking:

Dalton:  72.6

Cleveland:  54.1

Ingram:  42.6

 

Run Blocking:

Dalton:  53.4

Cleveland:  79.4

Ingram:  64.2

Its obvious here where he excels vs Cleveland or Ingram...With a statue in Kirko, a good pass blocking OG might not be a bad idea. 

Hell, maybe they are thinking about Risner vs Bradbury?

The pressure up the middle on our QB since he got here is ridiculous. 

Have we ever seen GB @ OG?

Thought the same PF.  From SI.  
“Risner went to Kansas State for college, where he started 50 of 51 games playing over 3,000 snaps on offense. Most of his action came as the Wildcats' right tackle, but he played 900 snaps as the center during the 2015 season as the starter. 
During that 2015 season, Risner graded out well from Pro Football Focus as a run-blocker (87.9) and pass-blocker (84.7), allowing eight pressures with no sacks. It was the best grade he garnered for run-blocking during his collegiate “

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

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."
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."
https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/vikings/dalton-risner-visits-vikings-would-he-upgrade-the-offensive-line

More “reckless speculation” from Skor North on Risner

@"medaille" said:

@"kmillard" said: Last good guard was hutch. Bring him in ASAP!

I don't think it's settled that Risner is "good".  

It’s kind of interesting the PFF grades of all the guards
involved.  Both Cleveland and Ingram suck
at pass blocking but excel at run blocking but Dalton is equally as polarized
but in the opposite direction.  I mostly
find it interesting how Cleveland is 12 points better than Dalton overall
despite being so bad at pass protection.

Overall:
Dalton:  61.1

Cleveland:  73.5

Ingram:  57.1

 

Pass Blocking:

Dalton:  72.6

Cleveland:  54.1

Ingram:  42.6

 

Run Blocking:

Dalton:  53.4

Cleveland:  79.4

Ingram:  64.2

My guess Risner is asking for more than Minnesota is comfortable paying. I get it from his perspective. 

@"StickyBun" said: My guess Risner is asking for more than Minnesota is comfortable paying. I get it from his perspective. 

With cap space available, sign this guy.  I'd rather have him and minimal cap space than have massive gaps at Guard and the cap space.

Disappointing if he left without a contract

@"Skodin" said: With cap space available, sign this guy.  I'd rather have him and minimal cap space than have massive gaps at Guard and the cap space.

Disappointing if he left without a contract

I think I’d pay him $5M a year for a year or two without
thinking too much about it.  Just to keep
get a solid pass blocker in there to keep a few hits off Cousins.  It just doesn’t make sense to have 3 poor
pass blocking guys on the interior when we don’t really prioritize running the
ball or play action and Cousins is a statue. 
If his asking price was $8-10, I’d be questioning if it was worth it.