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Roster Transactions

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Giants sign OL Greg Van Roten; CB Aaron Robinson waived/failed physical

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Greg Van Roten is the newest Giant, but he had many reasons to feel a sense of familiarity when he joined the team on Tuesday.

Carmen Bricillo is his offensive line coach, just as he was last season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Jermaine Eluemunor, who is playing right tackle while Evan Neal rehabs an ankle injury, started 14 games next to Van Roten, who was the Raiders' right guard. Devin Singletary, Graham Gano, Chris Manhertz, Jordan Phillips and Boogie Basham are former teammates with whom he has reunited.

Van Roten is familiar with the Giants' offensive system, having first played in it in Buffalo and in a similar scheme last year in Vegas.

And he is a Long Island native who played for the Jets in 2020-21.

"Continuity they say is very important as an O-line and with O-linemen," Van Roten said. "Usually, it's not on different teams. But I'm happy to be around (Bricillo). I had my best season as a professional with him. I'm hoping I can build on that."

View the best photos from the NFL career of offensive lineman Greg Van Roten.

Van Roten, 34, has played professional football since 2012 when he made Green Bay's roster as a rookie free agent from Penn (where he graduated with a degree in economics from the prestigious Wharton School of Business). He has played for the Packers, Carolina Panthers, Jets, Bills and Raiders – and had short stints with Seattle and Jacksonville - in the NFL and spent two seasons (2015-16) with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.

Van Roten's NFL experience includes 110 regular-season games (plus four postseason games) with 71 starts, the first 27 at left guard and the last 44 at right guard. Is the latter his best position?

"It's my most recent position," he said. "My couple of years with the Jets, I was right guard, and in Buffalo I kind of did the interior swing deal. And last year I was right guard. But when I started the second leg of my career, I guess you could say, in Carolina (in 2017), I played left guard for two years. When I was a rookie, I did the swing thing and in Canada, I played every position across the line."

Where he will play with the Giants has yet to be determined.

"Interior, so center, either guard," coach Brian Daboll said. "He's had experience with Carm last year. Veteran player. Can see him at play in any three spots that we need inside. Left guard, right guard, center."

Van Roten walked out to practice Tuesday morning when the team was already out on the field, which is where he was greeted by Bricillo and several players and formally met Daboll. Wearing a blue No. 74 jersey, Van Roten did some conditioning work and observed most of practice.

"Glad we added him and throw him in the mix," Daboll said. "We like what he did last year when he was with Carm. Tough, physical, good leadership. So, put him out there and let him get reps."

"Mix" is an apt description of the Giants' offensive line, which currently includes 17 job candidates and where left tackle Andrew Thomas has been the only first team constant. Neal is on the active/physically unable to perform list and has yet to practice. In his absence, Eluemunor, who spent the entire spring at left guard, has moved to right tackle. Aaron Stinnie took over at left guard and a third offseason acquisition, Jon Runyan Jr., has been a fixture at right guard. But in practice today, the two guards switched sides for several reps, a possible indication that Runyan will move to the left and Van Roten will play right guard. Van Roten will also get a look at center, where starter John Michael Schmitz has missed two practices with a shoulder injury. Austin Schlottmann, Jimmy Morrissey and Runyan have all taken reps at center.

"We've had conversations about it if this was going to happen," Daboll said. "When everybody gets back healthy, we'll see how it shakes out. I wouldn't rule out left side, right side. We'll just see how it goes relative to how we've got to practice with the guys we have."

Van Roten expects to work at all three interior positions.

"I think position versatility is important," he said. "Center obviously comes with a little bit more, I guess, mental load as far as being able to identify the front and get things started, kind of set the table. But I've done it before in the system and I'm sure I'll take snaps everywhere and we'll see kind of where I fit in and how it goes."

Van Roten is confident his late start will not be a hindrance.

"This is my 13th year in professional football," Van Roten said. "I've done it. I'm not too worried about it. I remember how to hit and all that. The way that the ramp up is now, I've missed two padded practices. It's really just a matter of learning the plays, getting around the guys and coming together as a unit."

That process should be accelerated because of his experience and his familiarity with the players and the system. He received his playbook, which is on a tablet, soon after practice ended.

"Buffalo is the first time I was around it (the offense) and then Vegas with (Josh) McDaniels, it was like the original version of this system and Daboll has evolved it," Van Roten said. "Now I'm around the guy that kind of put it in, in Buffalo. It's just the derivative of the New England system.

"Some of the words are the same, the protections are similar. The way that they call things might be different. It's a matter of translating. All right, this word means that - got it. The biggest thing is, you gotta be able to talk to the guys next to you. I'm sure the first couple of days they're gonna call something and I'm like, 'What is this play?'"

Joining the Giants isn't the only significant recent transaction in Van Roten's life. In late December, he and his wife, Trish, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Nora. The family stayed in Vegas until February, when they returned home.

"I've been on Long Island since just training and doing the whole new dad thing," Van Roten said.

Now he's back on a football field.

"I'm from New York and this isn't too far away," he said. "We have a lot of friends and family in the area. I'm excited to be here."

View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2024 cycle.

*To create room on the roster for Van Roten, the Giants waived cornerback Aaron Robinson after he failed his physical. Robinson had not played since Oct. 2, 2022, when he tore two knee ligaments vs. Chicago. A third-round draft choice in 2021, he played in 11 games with four starts in 2021-22.

*The ankle injury linebacker Brian Burns suffered Monday was minor and he participated in practice on Tuesday.

*Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (illness) was on the field in uniform but didn't participate in team drills.

*Tight end Lawrence Cager (hamstring), safety Tyler Nubin (calf) and center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) did not practice.

*Inside linebacker Micah McFadden (undisclosed) did not practice and was replaced on the first team defense by Dyontae Johnson.

"(Johnson is) making the most of his opportunities," Daboll said. "He's done a good job I'd say in both phases, defense and special teams. This will be an important training camp for him. It will be an important preseason for him, which it is for a lot of young players."

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