Going into last season, one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders was the offensive line. But to the surprise of many, the line held up exceptionally well and was one of the team’s strengths.
The Raiders were top-10 in sacks allowed last season, and they also played a huge role in running back Josh Jacobs’ All-Pro season, in which he led the NFL in rushing. This offseason has seen the team make numerous additions on both sides of the ball, but the line hasn’t changed much.
But the Raiders have added some depth now, signing veteran guard Greg Van Roten, according to our own Ryan Ward:
#Raiders have signed free agent G Greg Van Roten.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardNFL) May 19, 2023
Van Roten spent last season with the Buffalo Bills, appearing in all 16 games, starting four, and contributing on offense and special teams. He originally was an undrafted player out of Penn University in 2012, entering the league with the Green Bay Packers.
He would then spend a couple of seasons in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts before returning to the NFL in 2017, where he spent time with the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and then the Bills last season. Overall he has appeared in 93 games in his NFL career with 54 starts.
Having depth on the offensive line is crucial, and Van Roten is a player who has seen basically everything there is to see in the league.
Rob Gronkowski believes Jimmy Garoppolo is a great fit for the Raiders
The most significant move the Raiders made on offense this offseason was bringing in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The team has many weapons to surround him, and he has proven himself to be a winner when he is in that situation and has even led a team to a Super Bowl appearance.
One of Garoppolo’s former teammates, tight end Rob Gronkowski, believes he is a great fit with the Raiders. The future Hall of Famer believes the Raiders need a solid player at the quarterback position to run the system properly and not make mistakes which is something Garoppolo can do.
Gronkowski also noted that for the price the Raiders paid for their new quarterback, he is a great value compared to the massive deals many quarterbacks around the league are signing these days.
