Top Free Agent Guards the Bengals Could Target if Dalton Risner Leaves

Dalton Risner is far and away the veteran that Bengals fans want the team to re-sign the most this offseason.

Risner stepped in and solidified the right guard position and helped the offensive line perform the best that it has in almost a decade. This alone should be enough for the front office to make Risner a priority to keep this offseason.

What if the veteran ends up elsewhere? Are there legitimate options in free agency that could fill the void?

Here are three veterans the Bengals could sign if Risner goes elsewhere:

Kevin Zeitler

Another year, another free agency where the Bengals should at the very least entertain bringing Zeitler back to the Queen City.

After being drafted by the Bengals in 2012, Zeitler became one of the most reliable offensive linemen that the team had seen before leaving in 2017 for the Cleveland Browns. Since then, Zeitler has had stops with the Giants, Ravens, Lions, and Titans.

Zeitler has consistently provided starter-level play everywhere he has been. He's also an iron man. He's just 11 starts away from setting the all-time record for the most starts for an NFL guard. Quite frankly, he should have never left Cincinnati. The only thing that could be argued against bringing Zeitler back is the fact that he will be almost 36 years old by the time free agency hits in March, but if the Bengals are truly bought in on Jalen Rivers being their right guard of the future, they could sign Zeitler to a one-year deal to finish off his career where it started. He'd be a great mentor to Rivers, who showed some promise last season.

Wyatt Teller

Teller may be a few months older than Risner, but he would be a great addition to the Bengals offensive line. He's worked with Bengals offensive line coach Scott Peters.

When Peters was the assistant offensive line coach in Cleveland, Teller enjoyed not only the most prolific seasons of his career, but seasons where he was a top-graded right guard across the NFL. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021 with Peters on the Browns staff.

Keep in mind the Browns offensive line coach above Peters was Bill Callahan who is often touted as a legend when coaching offensive linemen. That could also be seen as a plus given Peters success in further developing talent like Amarius Mims, and rookie Dylan Fairchild in his first year with the Bengals.

Teller could likely be had on a two-year deal. He's not the same player he was a few years ago, but he's still a solid starting guard.

This is arguably the most sensical replacement for the Bengals if Risner leaves in free agency. He's familiar with Peters, has played in the division and could help maintain stability in front of Joe Burrow.

Alijah Vera-Tucker

This is the riskiest option on this list. the Bengals. Tucker has played in seven or fewer games in three of his five NFL seasons, with his most recent injury coming this past year.

But when he has been on the field, he has been a forced to be reckoned with, grading out as a top 12 guard in 2024 when he played 916 snaps at right guard.

At only 26 years old, it is realistic to believe that Tucker can revive his career, and that could be something the Bengals look to if his market turns out to be thin. What could seal the deal for the Bengals, though, is Tucker's versatility across the offensive line, as he has shown the ability to play at both guard spots and at offensive tackle.

Now Pro Football Focus has Tucker's market value at $70 million with $45 million guaranteed this offseason on a four year deal, with their comparison being Will Fries from last offseason's free agent class.

If you ask the Minnesota Vikings about their opinions on the deal they signed Fries to now, you will likely get mixed feelings, as Fries underwhelmed tremendously compared to what he was paid. This makes it even tougher to imagine Tucker getting that kind of deal in March, and the idea of him getting a one-year prove-it deal similar to what former Jets linemen Mekhi Becton got in 2024 from the Eagles becomes more believable.

However Tucker's market turns out, he should be a name that the front office monitors in free agency.

The Bengals have options if Risner leaves, but re-signing the veteran makes the most sense.

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