Christian Darrisaw expresses support for teammate during free agency.
Dalton Risner, the Minnesota Vikings guard, played it cautiously last offseason and kept his options open until September when he eventually signed with the team.
Following his return to free agency, there is a degree of ambiguity regarding Risner’s prospects. He expressed himself directly on social media. However, if Christian Darrisaw – his colleague and left tackle – has any say in the matter, he hopes that Risner will reprise their partnership once again by joining him for the 2024 lineup similar to this previous season.
On his Instagram, Darrisaw posted a photo of the two assuming their positions for a play.
Last season, the Vikings made a steal in free agency by acquiring Risner for only $3 million on a one-year deal. Despite being selected as the No. 41 overall pick (2019) by the Denver Broncos previously, his value was significantly underestimated.
According to Spotrac, his contract was ranked 78th in total value.
On March 12, Risner posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he has started in a total of 73 games during his five-year tenure in the league. He missed only four matches due to injury and earned the starting position under three different coaching staffs without requesting any additional benefits besides a contract as a starting guard.
Vikings could face an off-season with Dalton Risner after a disappointing season.
According to Pro Football Reference, Risner just experienced what could be deemed as his worst season yet in his professional career. This is evidenced by the fact that he recorded both the smallest amount of starts and played a smaller role on offense than ever before.
According to Pro Football Focus, he ended the season ranked as the 71st guard in the NFL with a career-low grade of 57.1.
Although, The Vikings ranked 10th in run blocking, they finished third in pass blocking.
The Vikings may find appeal in the prospect of continuity, as well as a potential upgrade to their running game featuring Aaron Jones. Given Head Coach Kevin O’Connell’s background, it seems probable that he would favor a pass-heavy offensive strategy.
But since Kirk Cousins has moved to the Atlanta Falcons, and Sam Darnold has taken his place, it becomes necessary to temporarily change our philosophy.
Running the ball is a prudent strategy, even if the Vikings opt for an attention-grabbing maneuver like trading up in the draft to secure a quarterback.
The looming contract of Christian Darrisaw holds considerable weight.
The Vikings must take into account Darrisaw’s contract, even though free agency is far in the future. As the former No. 23 overall pick from last year, he participated in a career-best of 15 games and achieved his second-highest rating ever.
His four-year, $13.3 million contract is also coming to its final year with him.
After the upcoming season, the Vikings have the option to exercise his fifth-year clause worth $16 million. Furthermore, they can employ a franchise tag on him thrice prior to committing themselves for an extended period of time.
Although the reasons may be minor, it’s noticeable that relationships among players, their agents and groups have worsened. The Vikings team has undergone numerous modifications in recent times. With Cousins leaving, Justin Jefferson’s upcoming period could affect his contract negotiations towards its conclusion.
A less expensive approach to preserving team chemistry may be to reinstate Risner.
