The New York Giants have more questions than answers following yet another disastrous campaign. However, buried underneath the pain and misery, there are some positive takeaways, specifically the upward trajectory of the team's offensive line (OL).
Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo and star left tackle Andrew Thomas reasonably dominate the headlines for the club's vastly improved efforts up front. They've undeniably been the straws that stir the drink, though veteran right guard Greg Van Roten has quietly been instrumental to the turnaround.
Van Roten turns 36 in February and is notably slated to become an unrestricted free agent in the coming months. Players typically retire at that age -- if they haven't already. Nevertheless, his eagerness to pick up where he, Thomas, Bricillo and Co. left off in 2025 is palpable.
Greg Van Roten all but urges Giants to retain much-improved OL in 2026
New York finished ninth in Pro Football Focus' (PFF) final annual OL rankings. That's a massive feat, especially considering the seemingly perpetual problems that have haunted this franchise's protection unit for years. Yet, Van Roten ostensibly sees more room for growth if the Giants' front office can keep the crew together:
"I think it's always good to have continuity," Van Roten said (h/t Newsday's Tom Rock [$]). "You could see from last year to this year the steps we took as a group ... It'll be interesting to see what happens as far as free agents and all that stuff, but that happens every year. I'd love to keep the band together, but we'll see how it works out."
It's hard to argue with Van Roten. Reaching the point he and the Giants' blockers did this season doesn't happen overnight. Communication, trust, understanding assignments; these things take time to develop and execute at a high level, as Big Blue Nation has learned the hard way.
Knowing this, Van Roten wants to return to the G-Men and continue building what they've started. That means retaining him and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, but it doesn't stop there. Backup center Austin Schlottmann looked just as good as starter John Michael Schmitz in four fill-in appearances and is set to hit the open market.
Talented young quarterback Jaxson Dart's development should be at the forefront of New York's plans moving forward. Ensuring he's kept upright will go a long way toward maximizing his potential. Van Roten's 65.3 overall PFF grade ranked 35th out of 81 qualified guards.