Dalton Risner can transform Denver Broncos o-line
The Denver Broncos offensive line is one still in need of chemistry, but the addition and recent play of Dalton Risner can change that.
The man from Wiggins, Colorado grew up a Denver Broncos fan like running back Phillip Lindsay. In a town of close to 1,000 people, Dalton Risner was a country guy at heart and more importantly a hard worker from day one.
It takes an incredibly hard-working man to put grueling hours on a farm and on a football field. This work ethic translated to Kansas State where Risner earned his captaincy for over three years. Risner was a decorated player for Kansas State earning first-team All-Big 12 in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
He was also a First Team All-American in 2017 (Pro Football Focus) and 2018. Risner was on the Outland Trophy watch list and a Lombardi Award finalist. These are just a few of the many awards or recognition Risner received as a Wildcat.
The underlying factor that played into Dalton Risner becoming a Denver Broncos player is he wanted to be on. Sometimes it does not work out that way. However, as the chips continued to fall Risner went to the Broncos with the 41st pick.
It made plenty of sense for the Broncos to address the offensive line especially with Joe Flacco under center. If the Broncos can protect their asset Flacco keeping him upright, then the rest will fall into place. Risner is now the second local product to be on the roster next to running back Phillip Lindsay.
It is something special to have the entire city of Wiggins and state of Colorado behind you. For the “Man From Wiggins,” he can be a true offensive line stalwart for years to come.
Risner became one of the best offensive linemen in the country and also one of the most versatile. He is a road grader in the running and passing game. Risner is one of the few players that could be successful no matter the position he plays on the line.
Versatility is one of the strongest draws of John Elway and their staff. Risner was also garnering tremendous reviews from every person of the coaching staff.
Head coach Vic Fangio praised Risner as one of the few players to stand out during practices and preseason games. This tells us the Risner could transform the offensive line into a better place than what it has been.
We mentioned earlier that he is an animal in every phase of the blocking technique. He is an excellent player that understands leverage and hand placement when the ball is snapped. Factor in his pure strength it can make for a deadly combination as an offensive lineman.
This combination is one that everyone can feed off of. Mike Munchak praised Risner without saying his name that left tackle Garett Bolles will have a security blanket next to him.
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Risner’s intensity is contagious and infects everyone in the room and in particular the offensive line. One of the problems in the past has been continuity of a starting offensive line unit. If Risner can translate everything we saw in the preseason to the regular season, running game and passing attack will flourish.
However, it still takes five guys to do a job. They must be cohesive for it to work. With Munchak at the helm, we should have trust and faith it can become where it needs to be.
Dalton Risner, “A man from Wiggins,” is headed for great things in his first season with the Denver Broncos. We get our first glimpse of regular season Risner and how can transform the offensive line Monday.