Patriots Sign Greg Van Roten After Ben Brown’s Injury

The New England Patriots faced a 13-13 tie in their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the game left them with a major setback. Offensive lineman Ben Brown sustained an injury while blocking during a play where quarterback Tommy DeVito was sacked. Brown had to be assisted off the field and taken to the medical tent before heading to the locker room.

Head Coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that Brown is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, potentially extending into a couple of months. This means he will miss the remainder of the preseason.

In response to Brown’s injury, the Patriots have signed veteran guard Greg Van Roten. This move was completed with an agreement on Monday to secure Van Roten as a replacement.

The 36-year-old Van Roten brings a wealth of experience to the team, having spent over a decade in the NFL. His career includes stints with teams like the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants. He also briefly played in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts.

Throughout his 11-year NFL career, Van Roten has started 105 games. In the past three seasons, he played all 17 games each year, dividing his time between the Giants and Raiders. During his time with the Raiders in 2023, he played under head coach Josh McDaniels, who is currently the offensive coordinator for New England. Last year with the Giants, Van Roten earned an overall PFF grade of 65.4. This ranked him 35th among 81 qualified guards. His pass-block grade of 70.2 placed him 22nd. He also accumulated 1,151 total snaps, the highest among any guard in the league.

Van Roten’s entry into free agency had marked him as one of the top available linemen. Now he reconnects with McDaniels in New England, a team with strong Super Bowl ambitions. His ability to play both guard positions offers valuable flexibility for the Patriots lineup.