No wonder Dalton Risner quickly became a Vikings fan favorite. His positive demeanor is unshakeable.
“My motivation level is through the roof,” the sixth-year guard declared loudly following Monday’s practice. “My motivation level is always going to be through the roof. … I have a lot I want to prove.”
The Vikings opened Risner’s 21-day evaluation window on Monday as the team returned to action from its Week 6 bye. Risner opened the season on short-term Injured Reserve after suffering a back injury during training camp. He is eligible to return to play at any point in the 21-day window that’s used to evaluate his body’s response to football activities.
“[Practice] is something you take for granted when you get to do it for a long time,” shared Risner, who has started 73 of 77 NFL games. “You get it taken away from you for a little bit, and it makes you miss it.”
Risner’s recovery took longer than he would have preferred, he said, but he feels 100 percent and is excited to help the 5-0 Vikings however he can – even if it means switching sides of the offensive line and handling a different assignment.
“I’m comfortable at right and left, whatever guard position it is, truly whatever position they want me to play, I’m ready to go,” Risner said. “You guys know I just want to play football – you know what I mean? I’m so grateful to be a Viking. Grateful to put the pads back on and go out there and move around today.”
Ben Krause/Minnesota Vikings
Risner re-signed with Minnesota this spring after starting 11 of 15 games in his first go-round with the team last season. The 2019 second-round pick of Denver has played left guard in every NFL appearance.
In the summer, Risner began training on the right side to be more valuable to the Vikings. Now that he’s healthy enough to practice, he’ll compete with Ed Ingram for ownership of responsibilities at right guard.
“I feel like competition is always healthy,” Ingram said, noting his relationship with Risner is great. “It pushes everybody to go harder so you don’t get complacent and get comfortable. I kind of like that.”
Ingram is a homegrown Viking, selected by the organization in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has made 37 starts over his first three seasons and said he believes he’s improved gradually in Year 3.
Risner’s potential insertion on the right side demands an emphasis on repetitions – to re-train his habits.
“Everything’s flip-flopped,” Risner expressed. “You’re doing the same things (from communicating pre-snap reads to footwork and hand placement techniques), but it’s completely the opposite way.”
“It’s a different vibe, and I’m grooving with it,” he added. “I think it could be a better position for me
Teammate Blake Brandel, who elevated to full-time starter this season and has held the fort down at left guard, comes to Risner’s mind when he thinks of guys who have played numerous spots along the line.
“I respect that so much because switching to the right side, I feel soreness in different areas,” said Risner, reiterating his focus is on stepping up wherever the club needs him. “That interior rotation is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s cool I’ve kind of made that switch and can play on the right side.”
Risner doesn’t think his updated status automatically qualifies him to assume a significant role.
“Those guys have played so great, and I’ve been out since training camp, so I have no right to say anything or do anything. My job is to go out there and just get these boys right – and practice. That’s all I’m gonna do,” Risner commented on the internal o-line competition. “I don’t think that’s really in the equation right now just because I have been out for so long, so I’ve just gotta take it one day at a time.”
During his recovery, Risner gelled with teammates in meetings. He peeked through windows to try to catch a glimpse of on-field workouts. He admitted he had a tough time sitting.
Now, he’s excited to help the Vikings keep flourishing.
“We have this chip on our shoulder,” he said, expanding on the team’s contagious culture. “I think it’s a lot of guys that have a lot to prove. And from the top down, from the very beginning, it’s just been a group of guys that haven’t listened to the outside noise. Ownership down, bringing in the right groups of guys, the right types of coaches. I think we all just mesh well in that respect. We’re alike in the fact that we want to go out there and play football. We want to do it together and we want to do it the right way.
“I’m ready to roll,” Risner asserted. “Whenever my name is called, I’m ready to roll.”