Giants’ starting 2024 offensive line is back together
The New York Giants perused the free agent guard market during the first few days of NFL free agency, and decided to go right back where they started from to fill the right guard spot.
Greg Van Roten, who started 17 games for the Giants in 2024, is reportedly finalizing a deal to return to the Giants for a second season.
The 35-year-old Van Roten signed with the Giants last August and spent most of the season starting at right guard. He filled in at center for an injured John Michael Schmitz at the end of the season.
A Rockville Center native, Van Roten gets to continue his career more or less playing at home.
After entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012, Van Roten did not earn a full-time starting job until 2018 as a member of the Carolina Panthers.
Van Roten has started every game the past two seasons, in 2023 for the Las Vegas Raiders and last season for the Giants. He played more than 1,000 snaps in each season. The only other time he played that many snaps was that 2018 season.
With the return of Van Roten, the offensive line that began the 2024 season for the Giants is back intact. That line is:
Andrew Thomas (LT), Jon Runyan Jr. (LG), John Michael Schmitz (C), Van Roten (RG), Jermaine Eluemunor (RT).
The line played well until injuries forced shuffling and exposed inadequate depth. It is still possible, of course, that the Giants add a younger starting right guard. Van Roten would make excellent interior line depth if that ends up being the case.
The Giants have added a pair of tackles, James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe, for depth. It also seems likely they will add to the line in the 2025 NFL Draft.
