Dalton Risner A MASSIVE Bargain As Deeper Contract Details Surface With Bengals

Cincinnati is juiced with assets to fix the defense.

Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Cincinnati Bengals guard Dalton Risner (66) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Dalton Risner's love for the Bengals got them a huge bargain in negotiations with the veteran. Risner wanted to stay in Cincinnati and avoid free agency, setting himself up to be a huge value compared to the rest of the league.

According to Spotrac, Risner is guaranteed $3.25 million this coming season with incentives up to $5 million. That base cash amount ranks 35th among all NFL guards.

Risner was far better than the 35th-best guard in the NFL last season. His 98.0% pass block efficiency was a career high and ranked eighth-best in the league among starting guards. He also added a 97.6% pass block efficiency in True Pass Sets, ranking 3rd among starting guards.

The veteran played 767 snaps at right and left guard this past season on a $1.19 million deal, notching a career-best 69.4 Pro Football Focus grade (fifth-highest on Bengals among players who logged 350 snaps). He was a mainstay all season and wanted to be in Cincinnati.

"I truly didn't mean what I said," Risner said on Monday about wanting to stay. "I didn't really care to hit free agency and see if someone wanted to sign me to a two or three-year deal or maybe pay me more cash per year. I wanted to be a Cincinnati Bengal, and it got to a point where we were so close in terms that it was time to get a deal done. So the Bengals did a lot of compromising, and I did a lot of compromising, and we came to a middle point, into a middle ground to sign the deal. And I was so thankful for that."

Cincinnati got a massive bargain in Risner and now has even fewer reasons to withhold money in free agency next week.

All signs point to them letting Trey Hendrickson walk and lifting the immediate salary cap burden his franchise tag would have before a trade. Cincinnati is loaded up with top 10 cap space and rare offensive continuity.

Risner's bargain deal should help bring in more firepower to the defense in the coming months.

OL Dalton Risner's extension with the #Bengals is a 1 year, $3.25 million contract that includes $1M guaranteed, and $1.75M of available incentives.

— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 3, 2026

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