Hold up, 12s, remember the name Greg Van Roten? Yeah, *that* Greg Van Roten, who rocked the blue and green back in 2014, just got scooped up by the New England Patriots. This isn’t just some random signing either; it’s a huge tell about the state of their offensive line depth after two interior linemen went down in their first game against the Colts.
The Emerald City Connection You Might’ve Missed
This dude’s been everywhere, but get this: he actually spent time with *our* Seattle Seahawks back in 2014. He was an undrafted free agent out of Penn, where he started all 30 games he appeared in and was a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection. He’s bounced around nine NFL teams since getting drafted by the Packers in 2012, plus a two-year stint in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts before his first NFL start finally came in 2018. Talk about a journeyman, right? But he stuck with it. He’s got 148 NFL games under his belt, with 105 starts, including a crazy 51 straight over the last three seasons. Add his 35 CFL games, and that’s 183 contests against professional competition. That’s some serious mileage, and it shows you the kind of grit this guy has.
Old Man Strength and What It Means for the Pats
So, why are the Patriots bringing in a 36-year-old guard/center at this point? Simple: their offensive line depth took a serious hit right at the start of the season when both Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich got hurt in their first game against the Colts. They needed an experienced, versatile guy, and Van Roten fits the bill perfectly. He’s 6’3″, 305 lbs, with a solid athletic foundation. Sure, his 9.31 Relative Athletic Score from 2012 might be 14 years old, but what’s *still* relevant is his pass protection. He plays with good patience, uses his hands well, understands attack angles, and shows nimble feet to keep himself protected. He brings immense experience and impressive recent durability to the table. Yeah, he’s the oldest guy on their current roster, turning 36 in February. And while he handled a heavy workload in 2025, there are fair questions about his physical trajectory going forward. But when you’re desperate for a solid, reliable body up front, sometimes you gotta go with the guy who’s seen it all and can still perform at a solid level when asked.
For the Patriots, this isn’t a flashy move, but it’s a crucial one to keep their O-line from totally collapsing. He’s going to be a super-sub for them, maybe even more if those injuries linger. For us 12s, it’s just a wild reminder that sometimes the guys you remember from years ago are still grinding it out, making impacts in unexpected places. You gotta respect that kind of longevity.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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