Dalton Risner Looks Back on Personal Development From Year Ago

The path for NFL players isn’t always straightforward.

Oftentimes, it is filled with injury setbacks, varying contracts, and a packed suitcase at any moment in anticipation of a trade or a release. Cincinnati Bengals guard Dalton Risner is no different than the rest.

Despite being drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft and starting all 62 games he played with the Denver Broncos up through the 2022 season, Risner still did not do enough to earn an extension and was then forced to wait until September 2023 before landing with the Minnesota Vikings.

With the Vikings, it was no different; 25 games later, he was right back where he was after the Broncos didn’t re-sign him, looking for a new place to call home.

“I’m Wondering If I Was Gonna Play NFL Football”

The Cincinnati Bengals guard is appreciating his opportunity with the organization. — Nov 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) celebrates with guard Dalton Risner (66) after sowing a second half touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I was looking back at pictures from, like, a year ago, and I was going to that local grass patch I told you guys about, working out in my cleats, stepping in dog poop. Old people staring at me, I’m wondering if I was gonna play NFL football,” opened Risner earlier this month on Dan Hoard’s “Bengals Booth Podcast.”

Following the Bengals’ 2025 training camp, Risner found his new home in the AFC North, signing a one-year deal with Cincinnati that eventually cashed out at $1.3 million.

Risner made 11 starts in the Bengals’ 6-11 campaign, ending the season with a 69.4 overall PFF Grade which ranked 26th-best among 81 qualifying guards.

"So, I'm working a hell of a lot harder this year [than last]," Risner continued. "That's gonna pay dividends with an organization that I love. So it's a 0 to 100, a complete 180 flip in terms of where I was last year compared to where I'm this year. I'll tell you that much: I'm liking where we're at, and it feels good to not be working out by the mailboxes."

Following last season, Risner earned another year with the Bengals for a contract worth up to $5 million.

Risner now sits as the team’s most experienced guard by a vast margin, with eight years under his belt, followed by Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers, with two years each.

Up next for Risner is helping lead a relatively youthful offensive line to its first playoff appearance since 2022, when Cincinnati made it all the way to the AFC Championship before falling to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs.

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