The New England Patriots are bringing in former New York Giants guard Greg Van Roten, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Kicking the tires on the 36-year-old veteran is a wise decision for the team, as their top signing at the position this offseason, Alijah Vera-Tucker, comes with significant injury concerns, and Van Roten showed last season he could have enough left in the tank to be a serviceable depth option in 2026.
The Patriots are hosting OL Greg Van Roten on a visit, per @RapSheet.
— Jack Aylmer (@Jack_Aylmer) August 6, 2026
The 36-year-old vet began his NFL career back in 2012. Started all 17 games in last 3 seasons with the Raiders and Giants. Had 22nd best PFF pass blocking grade and highest snap count among Gs in ‘25. pic.twitter.com/7yT4vQs0qC
Why adding Greg Van Roten may make sense for the Patriots
Although Van Roten would be in line for a reserve role if the Patriots do ultimately decide to take a flier on him, the University of Pennsylvania product might still be able to contribute if called upon.
During the 2025 campaign, Pro Football Focus gave him a 65.3 overall grade, which ranked 35th among 81 qualified offensive guards, and a 70.1 pass-blocking grade, the 22nd-highest mark at his position league-wide.
Van Roten was the league leader in snaps taken by an offensive guard last season (1,151), incurring just three penalties (27th fewest at his position) over that span. He was charged with allowing three sacks and one QB hit while starting every game and playing the seventh-highest pass-blocking snap count (678) among guards.
Additionally, Van Roten offers plenty of versatility, having played every position on the offensive line during his NFL career, making him an ideal backup candidate to plug and play anywhere in a pinch.
Signing Van Roten could ease future injury concerns
When the Patriots inked their new projected starting left guard, Vera-Tucker, to a three-year/$42 million deal this past March, the franchise acquired a talented player looking to return to form after dealing with a slew of prior injuries.
The 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft posted the league's 10th-best PFF overall grade (77.7) at the guard spot in 2024, but has missed 41 total games over the past four seasons, including all of the 2025 campaign with a triceps injury.
Meanwhile, despite his advanced age, Van Roten has been an incredibly durable player over the last three seasons, starting all 17 regular season games in each of those years (2023 with the Las Vegas Raiders, 2024 and 2025 with the Giants).
He missed just one contest in 2022 as a member of the Buffalo Bills and played all 17 games for the New York Jets in 2021.
Bringing in some insurance for Vera-Tucker, should his injury woes persist into next season, makes a lot of sense for New England.
Even if it doesn't end up being Van Roten, it wouldn't be surprising to see the front office explore additional veteran offensive line reinforcements later in the offseason should an intriguing option become available when other teams begin trimming down their rosters.
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