As has been the case for several years now, the New York Giants’ offensive line was a disaster in 2023. The 85 sacks they allowed this past season not only led the NFL, but they allowed 20 more sacks than any other team according to Statmuse, which is hard to fathom.
Their offensive line troubles have made it virtually impossible for the Giants to have a competent, let alone good offense. They ranked 30th in the NFL this past season, scoring just 15.6 points per game.
Their offensive line troubles also made it difficult for Daniel Jones, their starting quarterback, to stay healthy, as he’s had to endure tons of hits.
The bottom line is the offensive line is an area New York simply has to reinforce, and they appear to be looking to do so based on reporting that they have hosted former Las Vegas Raiders guard Greg Van Roten for a visit.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Giants were set to host Van Roten, and NFL Insider Josina Anderson added that the visit was indeed on Monday. Van Roten hasn’t signed as of this writing, but a deal could come to fruition sometime in the not-too-distant future.
Van Roten visiting the Giants is particularly interesting not only because he’s a veteran who can add depth to an offensive line in dire need of it, but because he was a Raider last season. Van Roten started all 17 games for the Raiders last season and played in 98 percent of their offensive snaps, and he played well, too.
The Raiders connection is an important one because the Giants’ new offensive line coach, Carmen Bricillo, worked for Las Vegas. New York signed former Raiders guard Jermaine Eluemunor earlier in free agency, and could look to add more Raiders flavor to their offensive line. Honestly, any upgrade would help.
Van Roten gave up five sacks which is a bit more than the Giants would like, but he received a 75.3 PFF grade ($) and was especially adept in pass protection. With Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia now and Malik Nabers in New York, the Giants might be looking to pass more than they have in previous years.
Where Van Roten would play remains to be seen, but he has experience at both guard spots, giving New York the option to remain flexible. At this point in the offseason, it’d be worthwhile bringing the 34-year-old a shot to see if he has another good season in him.