Dalton Risner, Gabe Murphy Competing for Vikings’ Final IR Spot

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Aug 23, 2024

Dalton Risner, Minnesota Vikings — Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

It’s difficult to believe, but the Minnesota Vikings 2024 preseason will be over tomorrow afternoon. That’s right, their preseason finale is scheduled to kickoff at noon CT. When that game clock at Lincoln Financial Field expires on Saturday vs the Philadelphia Eagles, it’ll be a wrap on 2024 exhibition games.

Then, on Tuesday, it’s cutdown day. By 3 PM CT, every team in the NFL needs to slice their rosters essentially in-half. 32 teams will drop from 90-some players, down to 53. The Vikings also have a much larger than it used to be practice squad, but they have to cut a young intriguing player, before they can sign on for PS duties.

That’s why cutting young, talented players is risky business. Which is why, every year, big NFL names are cut loose in favor of more youthful, cheaper options. For the Minnesota Vikings, many expect one of those veteran cut victims to be offensive guard, Dalton Risner.

Minnesota Vikings Injured Reserve Battle: Dalton Risner vs Gabe Murphy

Gabe Murphy, Minnesota Vikings — Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Nobody was interested in signing the former Denver Broncos during the offseason. That’s why he signed a super-cheap deal to return to TCO Performance Center. But he has been out with a back injury for weeks, leaving him vulnerable on cut day.

According to Alec Lewis (The Athletic), Risner is one of a few candidates who could have his job saved by injured reserve. It’s far from a lock, though. TJ Hockenson already holds one of two spots available, and undrafted rookie free agent EDGE rusher Gabe Murphy could get it ahead of the 29-year-old offensive guard.

After the first couple of weeks of training camp, Murphy was trending toward making the roster. Everyone in the know felt it. Flores and head coach Kevin O’Connell both raved about him... Minnesota has yet to place Murphy on injured reserve, which would allow the team to keep him without him counting against the 53-man limit. Given the upside, that route makes sense.

A few weeks ago, Risner suffered a back injury. He has not practiced since nor has he been present… Like Murphy, he, too, might be a candidate for injured reserve — teams have two spots for players who don’t count against the 53-man, and tight end T.J. Hockenson will likely occupy one of them.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic

NFL teams can actually designate as many as ten players to injured reserve, out of training camp. Only two, as Alec notes, are able to have a ‘return to action’ tag assigned to them. Neither Murphy or Risner are believed to have serious injuries, so season-ending IR would not work.

TJ Hockenson injury leaves only one space remaining on Vikings IR

So with TJ already there, what does that mean for Risner and Murphy? Well, a lot of it might have to do with whether or not the Minnesota Vikings think they can sneak Gabe through waivers, in order to put him on their practice squad.

If so, they might hang onto Dalton Risner, knowing how quickly a couple of OL injuries can derail a season. But that doesn’t seem to be their current line of thinking, at least per Alec Lewis. As of now, Murphy’s upside “might warrant the nod” over a veteran backup guard.

A player like Murphy, who is still young and developing, might warrant the nod more than a backup guard, even if Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram are not stalwarts.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic

For now, it seems as though releasing Gabe Murphy, and exposing him to waivers, feels like too risky of a proposition for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to roll the dice on.

That wouldn’t surprise me, and shouldn’t shock anyone else. The Minnesota Vikings have proven a clear willingness to go on with life after Risner, even if it means putting their OL depth in jeopardy.