Former Broncos Second Round Pick Teases Potential Homecoming

It’s no secret that Denver Broncos general manager George Paton prioritizes the offensive and defensive lines. The trenches on both sides of the ball boast some of the best units in football, and it will remain that way as long as Paton is in charge.

To continue this success, it's vital to have depth behind your high-end starters. While the Broncos will certainly supplement those positions in the draft, there are still NFL-caliber players that remain unsigned on the free agent market.

One of those players is guard Dalton Risner, Denver’s former second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. On a recent TikTok livestream, Risner spoke about his ongoing free agency and the teams that have been in contact with his representation.

“I’m not on a team right now,” Risner said. “But I will be on a team soon. I could imagine. What do you guys think? Do you guys think it’s the Minnesota Vikings? Do you guys think it’s back to Denver? Do you guys think it’s the Cincinnati Bengals? I don’t know. I’m in talks with multiple teams, so we’ll see what happens.”

The Kansas State product spent the first four years of his career with Denver before landing with the Vikings for 2023 and 2024. Risner has started 81 games in his six-year career.

The Broncos aren’t looking for immediate starters at guard. Last offseason, they re-signed Quinn Meinerz to a four-year $72 million contract extension and signed Ben Powers to a four-year $51.5 million contract.

Regardless, having quality depth in the NFL is almost as important as having quality starters. Signing Risner would be a feel-good homecoming story, and also allow Denver to take some swings on other spots that need depth in the 2025 NFL Draft.