KOC Reminds Ed Ingram: Dalton Risner Can Play Both Guard Positions

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Dalton Risner, Ed Ingram, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have some position battles to work out between now and the end of training camp in a couple months and one of those competitions is at left guard, where Dalton Risner appears to be on the outside looking in at starter Blake Brandel, at least for now.

Both Minnesota Vikings starting guard spots up for grabs

But Kevin O’Connell made it clear in an interview with Rich Eisen (NFL Network) that Risner’s opportunities as a starter are not limited to the left guard position. In other words, watch out Ed Ingram because there’s a 28-year-old veteran with 73 starts of experience that is coming for your job too.

“We bring back Dalton Risner, who’s gonna compete like crazy at the guard spot with both Ed [Ingram] and Blake Brandel. And then Garrett Bradbury has been Mr. Reliable for us in the middle. Anytime you’re transitioning at the quarterback position, to have a veteran center to really kind of drive that communication and make sure we are all on the same page, it’s a good setup.”

Kevin O’Connell on the Minnesota Vikings’ current situation on the interior offensive line

Dalton Risner coming for Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram…

This may not have been a public challenge to Ed Ingram, because he probably already knows that Risner could take his position before the end of camp, just like he could Brandel’s.

For media members and fans, it always felt like this could be a possibility, if Ingram struggles in camp. But O’Connell’s interview on the Rich Eisen Show makes it very much official. Whichever two guards performs best in camp is expected to win the two starting spots, come week one.

Related: Voluntary Workouts Not So Voluntary for the Minnesota Vikings After All?

If there is any battle to keep an eye on over the next couple months, this is THE one, especially given the change in QB, whether it’s Sam Darnold or JJ McCarthy under center.

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