Duke Tobin Dives Into Bengals Desire To Sign Dalton Risner After Strong First Season With Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — Dalton Risner is the only major piece of the Bengals offense not slated to return under contract this coming season, but that could change at any time for the guard.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin discussed the 30-year-old's chances to play for Cincinnati again at this week's NFL Combine. Risner played his best NFL season with the Bengals in 2025, and that included an understandable slow start after signing right before Week 1.

"He came in late to the process. Really fit in. I thought we ended up being a great fit for him in how we play, and he became a great fit for us, and came in and filled a need for us," Tobin said about the veteran. "Did a nice job. Fit in well, got a ton of respect for him. Really enjoyed getting to know him. He's really, you know, a fantastic person just to be around in the locker room on a day-to-day basis, and he's a guy that we've talked to, and we'll see if we can get something done. He's got decisions to make, and we've got decisions to make, and he's a guy that we like a lot."

Risner just wrapped up a one-year $1.19 million contract in his seventh NFL campaign.

Cincinnati could cement basically full offensive continuity with the coaching staff and starting ranks if they brought him back.

Risner played 767 snaps at right and left guard this past season, 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 wants to be in Cincinnati.

“I’ve really found a home here,” Risner said to FOX19's Charlie Goldsmith this offseason. “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.”

Tobin is ready to have a good March as well.

"We juggle all those things," Tobin said about fresh deals and contract extensions. "We have several resources, and we're going to use them the best way that we can to improve as many areas of our roster as we can. We have things that we definitely want to get done, and we've put a lot of time into it. We've had a lot of people involved in trying to sketch out the best plan.

"Now, the best plan never goes as orchestrated, but we have a good plan in place, and we're looking to improve our team in every way we can, and if that's with extensions, so be it."

A huge few months await both sides.

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