Dalton Risner Reveals New Year's Resolution Tied To Bengals Future

CINCINNATI — Dalton Risner clearly doesn't want to test the free agency waters this spring. ESPN's Ben Baby caught up with him in the Bengals locker room this week and asked Risner what his New Year's resolution is.

Risner doesn't want to sign again right before the season, after posting the best campaign of his NFL career for the Bengals. The veteran has a career-best 69.3 Pro Football Focus grade this season on what will be his highest snap total since 2022 if he plays a full game against Cleveland.

"To avoid being signed in August or September. That's my New Year's resolution, make sure you send that straight to Duke Tobin and the whole Bengals organization for me, man, expedite that right to them," Risner said with a smile.

The veteran clearly loves blocking on Scott Peters' unit, which has risen all the way to 11th in the NFL this season with a 5.4% sack rate allowed. Risner is coming off his best pass-blocking game with the Bengals. His 83.4 PFF pass-blocking grade in Week 17 ranked eighth among guards.

“I’ve really found a home here,” Risner said to FOX19's Charlie Goldsmith recently. “I’ve really enjoyed this season. I think it’ll be a good March for me. Personally, I’d love it if the Bengals didn’t let me get to March. That’s not my choice. The ball is in their court. I’d love to stay and be a Bengal.”

Risners is currently playing the final game of a one-year $1.19 million contract he signed with Cincinnati right before the season kicked off. He struggled to start out, but has clearly shown to be their best right guard option. If they were to extend him (can happen at any time before free agency), then Cincinnati would have complete starting offensive line continuity entering the offseason program.

Every starter from this year would be under contract for the 2026 season.

Add in more tutelage from their rising offensive line coach in Peters, and you get pretty enticing reasons to want to ink Risner while it's still winter in Cincinnati.

Check out the full comment from Baby's video below:

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