Bucs Should Consider This Veteran Free Agent

The Bucs have not finished their job in free agency in my opinion. Yes, they have shored up their secondary depth with the signings of Bryce Hall, Jordan Whitehead and Tavierre Thomas. Yes, they have bolstered their backend depth on the offensive line with the acquisitions of Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta.

Bucs G Sua Opeta – Photo by: USA Today

I would argue that they should have pursued one of the many high-end edges available in free agency or through trade. But the team seems content to enter 2024 with Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka leading a group that has a solid floor but a questionable ceiling.

But there is still a glaring hole in the starting lineup that should be addressed before the draft. After all, free agency should be used to address holes on the roster so that when a team enters the draft, it doesn’t have to be pigeon-holed into drafting for need.

The Bucs seem to be speeding down a path to have to do just that. In my estimation, neither Opeta nor Bredeson is the caliber of player that Tampa Bay should feel good with if they were to assume the starting left guard spot. So, what can they do to upgrade that spot?

Bucs Should Look At Greg Van Roten

Enter Greg Van Roten. Van Roten, a former undrafted free agent, has carved out a solid career playing for the Packers, Panthers, Jets, Bills and Raiders. The 2023 campaign was his best season as a pro, as he earned a 77.4 pass block, 68.5 run block and 75.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

His 3.35% pressure rate allowed was the lowest since 2018 when he started to get regular work. The veteran guard has over 100 games of experience and 71 starts while being regarded as a solid pass blocker and a decent enough run blocker.

Raiders guard Greg Van Roten Photo by: USA Today

Here is what PFF’s Brad Spielberger had to say about Van Roten when projecting his next contract of one year and just $2.75 million.

“Van Roten does a nice job of keeping his chest clean with fully extended arms on double teams that enables him to quickly disengage and get to the second level, but can lose ground at the line off the snap on occasion when he doesn’t have a confident first step. The veteran has always been a solid pass protector, absorbing contact well if he stays in front of the rusher.”

After reviewing some of his film, it’s clear that he has a preferred path to success. In pass protection, he wants to win early with a punch and then immediately work to move his opponent to a different path than they intended to take. Van Roten wins a lot by re-routing and then driving down through the pocket pass the quarterback.

He can allow his hands to move too far inside from time to time. This gives opposing pass rushers an opportunity to spin or side-step him.

In the run game, he has a solid leg drive that works best for him in a zone scheme where he can drive opponents by using their own momentum against him. He’s capable enough at the second level but isn’t a fluid mover who excels on pulls. But his play in this area is good enough to be an average starter on a line with multiple above-average movers/players.

Van Roten Would Give The Bucs Flexibility

Bucs general manager Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

By signing Van Roten, the Bucs could pencil him into the starting lineup between Tristan Wirfs and Robert Hainsey and allow the Bucs to enter the 2024 NFL Draft being able to truly target the best player available at each pick.

It would prevent them from having to give up the exorbitant costs associated with trading up in order to nab a player at a position where there may be an unexpected run.

Then, if a guard who the team likes is available when they pick at 26, 57, 89 or 92, there is nothing stopping them from drafting that player and starting them. The move would push Van Roten into a premium backup role with Opeta and push Bredeson to the backup center role.

But it also gives the team the flexibility to take a Jackson Powers-Johnson and put him at his natural position of center, push Robert Hainsey back into the backup center role and allow Opeta and Bredeson to man the depth guard positions.

This would be a cheap signing that raises both the ceiling and the floor of the current Bucs line’s composition that also improves their flexibility in the draft. Greg Van Roten is a player who would improve the 2024 Bucs without hurting them long-term.

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