Overview
- Cincinnati retained right guard Dalton Risner on a one-year contract worth up to $5 million, with agents Drew Rosenhaus and Shawn O'Dare confirming the terms to ESPN before free agency.
- The move locks in the same five starting offensive linemen for 2026 for the first time in Joe Burrow’s career.
- Risner appeared in 14 games with 11 starts in 2025 and posted a 92.6% pass block win rate, the best by a Bengals lineman since Zac Taylor became head coach.
- Burrow pushed for Risner’s return and FaceTimed him as the deal came together, while captains and coaches publicly lobbied to keep him.
- Both sides agreed to a short-term structure viewed as a compromise, preserving cap flexibility for other needs, and Risner’s wife teased the signing on social media ahead of the team announcement.