Latest Vikings signing could mean bad news for Dalton Risner in Minnesota

Minnesota Vikings guard Dalton Risner
Minnesota Vikings guard Dalton Risner / Ryan Kang/GettyImages
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When Dalton Risner re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year, many assumed he was probably going to end up making the team's final 2024 roster either as a reserve or a starting guard.

However, Risner hasn't practiced in a while due to a back injury, and his status with the Vikings for the regular season is currently up in the air, especially with the roster move the team recently made.

On Wednesday, Minnesota revealed the signing of undrafted rookie free-agent offensive lineman Matt Cindric. This is actually Cindric's second stint with the Vikings during the last few months, as he was signed by the team shortly after this year's NFL Draft and then waived at the end of May to make room on the roster for Risner.

Is the latest signing by the Minnesota Vikings a sign that Dalton Risner could be cut soon?

With the addition of Cindric on Wednesday, Minnesota now has 10 interior offensive linemen on its roster heading into the team's final preseason game on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

With Risner missing a bunch of practice recently, it seems like Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram are on track to open up the regular season as the Vikings' two starting offensive guards. This would leave Risner as a reserve entering Week 1 if Minnesota were to keep him on its final 2024 roster.

Since entering the NFL in 2019, Risner has started in more than 70 games. So, would he even be okay with remaining with the Vikings for the upcoming season if he doesn't have a chance to be a starter?

The Cindric signing probably doesn't have a big direct impact on Risner's status with Minnesota. But it does show that the Vikings are making sure they have plenty of interior offensive line options when they have to construct their final 53-man roster by next Tuesday.

Will Risner end up being a part of Minnesota's final 2024 roster, or will the team decide to move on from him before they take the field for their regular-season opener against the New York Giants on September 8th?

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