The NY Giants are still very much in the need for offensive line help. While they did sign two starting guards in Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan Jr, the lack of depth could be so critical that it ruins whatever mojo they end up with on the offensive end.
New York realized what many other teams in need of some extra beef up front saw a while ago. The market is fairly threadbare, with only a few cheap veterans out there. Greg Van Roten is one of them, and Brian Daboll is willing to take a chance on the Long Island-born veteran.
The Giants signed Van Roten to a deal for the 2024 season. Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo previously served as the offensive line coach for Josh McDaniels with the Las Vegas Raiders, where Van Roten resurrected his career. Bricillo brought his latest pet project to New York.
If the Giants end up kicking Eluemunor to tackle, thus ending the Evan Neal tenure, they could put Van Roten at guard and head into battle with two new starters. However, Van Roten is just a few years removed from some of the worst interior offensive line play ever.
Giants are signing Guard Greg Van Roten per @art_stapleton
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) July 30, 2024
He started all 17 games for the Raiders & Giants OL Coach Carmen Bricillo last season. pic.twitter.com/XFpOjUYM3v
NY GIants sign guard Greg Van Roten, cut CB Aaron Robinson
If that name sounds familiar to any Giants fans who take glee in watching the Jets struggle, it's because Van Roten was unplayable. After struggling in Carolina, Van Roten was so putrid with the Jets that fans were calling for his benching every week.
After a brief stint in Buffalo, Van Roten didn't allow a single penalty and graded out as PFF's 11th-best pass-blocking guard in the NFL with Las Vegas. At 34 years old, Van Roten could either revert to his deplorable Jets days or keep riding the momentum from a solid Raiders season.
To make room for Van Roten on the depth chart, former third-round pick Aaron Robinson was released. Robinson had great speed and feisty tape at UCF, but injuries limited him to just 32 tackles and a handful of starts with the Giants. This was a failed pick, but through no fault of Robinson in particular.
In the modern NFL, there is no such thing as too many good offensive linemen. Van Roten is a bit of a dice roll, and it is tough to see the Giants officially give up on Robinson, but there are very few options out there at guard better than the former Las Vegas starter.