Not sure there was any stopping the Cincinnati Bengals' offense in 2025 as it was, but to their credit, the team left nothing to chance to address the weakest position by signing free-agent right guard Dalton Risner on Wednesday.
After only keeping eight offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster, the Bengals took major action. Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz broke the news of Risner signing on the dotted line, which comes on the heels of his visit to Cincinnati a little over a week ago.
What a wave of momentum the Bengals have generated in recent days. Although I have my own reservations still about how they handled Trey Hendrickson's contract situation, getting him on the field and fortifying the trenches in front of Joe Burrow is a heck of a 1-2 punch of positive news.
Dalton Risner should be immediate upgrade as Bengals' right guard
One look at Risner's pass blocking grades from PFF shows why so many Cincinnati fans were jazzed about the possibility of welcoming him into the fold.
Vikings RG Dalton Risner would be the perfect FA signing/fit for the Bengals.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) January 14, 2025
Here is where PFF ranks him in pass blocking grade on true pass sets in his career (among eligible Gs):
2024: 7/78
2023: 23/85
2022: 21/83
2021: 26/88
2020: 13/92
2019: 28/88
Exactly what they need.
Although third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild has seized the starting left guard gig — and good thing, too, with his predecessor Cordell Volson's season-ending injury — the right guard battle has left much to be desired throughout training camp and the preseason. Hence the motivation to bring Risner in for a visit in the first place.
The guard tandem of Volson and a banged-up Alex Cappa struggled last season to put it in the kindest terms possible. It's no easy task for the Bengals' o-line to drop into as many true pass sets as they do, never mind how often they had to by necessity due to the defense yielding so many yards and points in 2024.
Risner's arrival comes a little close for comfort as far as starting him in Week 1 at Cleveland. However, offseason free-agent addition Lucas Patrick is in place as the No. 1 right guard more by default than anything else. Rookie fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers was thought to be a swing tackle, yet he has impressed in his limited reps on the inside.
Now all of a sudden, the likes of Patrick, Rivers, and Cody Ford might be in a three-way derby for second place on the depth chart, provided Risner picks up the playbook in short order.
A starting Bengals offensive line of Orlando Brown Jr., Fairchild, Ted Karras, Risner, and 2024 first-round selection Amarius Mims gives Burrow, at least on paper, arguably the best blocking unit he's had in his NFL career.
With the floor of the guard play presumably raised thanks to Fairchild and Risner, plus a hopeful Year 2 leap from Mims, is Joe Burrow about to be even better? What a scary thought for the rest of the NFL. He just led the league in TD passes and passing yards last year. Will the Bengals end any possession in 2025 without points? People are asking!
It'd be nice for Risner to also be sound as a run blocker to help the Bengals be more balanced this season. That said, the team's identity will be built predominantly around Burrow and the passing attack. At least Chase Brown gives Cincinnati a legitimate feature back whose explosiveness and three-down ability should help keep opponents on their heels and honest versus the run.
Make no mistake. Any way anyone wants to twist this news, this is a great day for Who Dey Nation. Dalton Risner is a Bengal. Now let's get through these next several practices, manifest Risner ascending to RG1, and prepare for him to run through Browns defenders' souls on Sunday, Sept. 7!