The Super Bowl LX finalists, the New England Patriots, are potentially adding another weapon to their offensive arsenal. The veteran guard, Greg Van Roten, who previously played for the Carolina Panthers and was an unrestricted free agent this offseason, is set to play for the Patriots in 2026, per ESPN Senior NFL Reporter Jeremy Fowler.
“Source: Patriots are signing veteran guard Greg Van Roten to a one-year deal,” Fowler wrote on X, breaking the news. “Giants’ starting guard the last two seasons, joins the defending AFC champions.”
The 36-year-old last played for the New York Giants. In his past two seasons at the SoFi Stadium, the veteran showed impressive resilience, playing all 17 regular-season games each year. Given his recent experience as a starter for the Big Blue, he could prove to be a valuable roster addition for Mike Vrabel in the 2026 season.
According to Spotrac, Van Roten has inked a one-year contract with the Pats, valued at $3 million, which doesn’t include guaranteed money. He will earn slightly less than he did during his last Giants stint when he was paid $3.25 million annually. The amount, however, is much more than what he was paid by the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers Gave Greg Van Roten His First Real Opportunity
Despite going undrafted in the 2012 draft, Greg Van Roten has managed to have eleven NFL seasons to his name, including three with the Carolina Panthers from 2017 to 2019, becoming a starting left guard in his final two seasons at Bank of America Stadium.
In his first season with the franchise in 2017, he earned $615,000 in a one-year deal. After featuring in 10 games, he had a two-year contract extension for $1.66 million, paying $830,000, which was more than his first contract with the Panthers.
Getty Guard Greg Van Roten.
Following a ten-game campaign in 2017, he cemented his position as the starting left guard, playing 16 games in 2018. The following year, which was his last playing season with the organization, he started 11 games. Unfortunately, he couldn’t play the rest of the games that season after suffering a dislocated toe injury, ending his season before he moved to the New York Jets.
With a starting role for the Giants, Van Roten had a decent last season when he ranked 35th among all the NFL guards with a 65.4 PFF grade and ranked first after playing 1,151 offensive snaps. On the other hand, he was 22nd in pass-blocking grade with a 70.2 grade, proving he still has plenty of football left in him.
His Panthers chapter ended seven years ago, but now the franchise boasts a stronger offensive line with an improved group of guards heading into the new season.
Panthers’ O-Line Looks Ready to Build on Last Season
Carolina Panthers had a remarkable 2025 season when they reached the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Building on last season’s momentum, they have a reliable O-Line protecting Bryce Young.
Damien Lewis is set to take up his role as the Panthers’ left guard after starting 16 games last season. On the other hand, the $100 million signee Robert Hunt is the right guard, set to take the field after playing only 2 games before suffering an injury last season.
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