It’s that time of year. The time when Ted Thompson unceremoniously axes guys from the Green Bay Packers’ roster. The first guy to go this year is backup offensive lineman Greg Van Roten.
The team released Van Roten on Tuesday.
Van Roten spent most of the 2013 season on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury in early October. In all, Van Roten appeared in 12 games over two seasons with the Packers. Most of that time was spent on special teams.
Van Roten, who was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Penn, totaled only 22 offensive snaps in those two seasons.
A move like this shouldn’t come as a surprise, although it usually does anyway. Van Roten was a bottom-of-the-roster guy. He wasn’t ever going to fight his way into the starting lineup and apparently the Packers had seen enough to know he wasn’t going to turn into a solid NFL backup either.
Still, what does it hurt to take a young guy — Van Roten is 23 — to training camp and see what happens? It’s not like this move impacted the salary cap in any way.
Anyway, Van Roten himself was clearly more surprised by the move than we were.
Thank you Packer Nation for treating me so well during my time in Green Bay! A bitter and sudden ending but a memorable journey nonetheless
— Greg Van Roten (@GVR64) February 11, 2014
Rumor has it the Minnesota Vikings were on the phone with Van Roten’s agent as soon as they heard the news.
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Perry plays on broken foot bones…
…but Van Roten hits the IR with his problem?
What was it? an amputation???
Something stinks here; hopefully we’ll learn the truth.
I wonder if it wasn’t a LisFranc.
Barclay at Center is better than Van Roten?
Tretter spots a guy in a weight-room, and breaks his nose; Tretter jumps on a loose ball, and breaks an ankle.
Guess we’ll be seeing EDS for another year…
Value to team. Perry is a starter at a position that was obliterated by injuries. GVR was a third or fourth backup at a position that was at least somewhat healthy comparatively; putting him on IR opened a spot to sign or promote another player, someone who could possibly contribute more, albeit likely mainly out if necessity.
Considering the timing, this is 100% a money move. It probably saves the organization some spare change in settlement money to NOT have the guy on the books for 2014. We may think some couch money is no big deal to the Packers, but when its your job to safeguard the money, every little bit matters.
Don Barclay or Tretter should be your back up inside OL next season. Baktiari and Bulaga are your starting tackles and Sherrod should your back up there.
Barclay belongs on the inside. If he’s there, you don’t need GVR.
Saw this on CHTV…
…..
Van Roten suffered a foot injury this past season, which landed him on season-ending injured reserve, but apparently that had nothing to do with his release, according to an interview with Van Roten’s agent appearing at ESPN.com.
“I spoke to them, and they felt like they wanted to get bigger,” agent Bill Baldini is quoted as saying. “They didn’t think he’d be in their plans for the immediate future, so they decided it would be better for him if they let him go now. It’s a shame because he loves the Packers organization and loves the town.”
…..
GVR was 6’3″ and 303#. So if GB wants to get bigger, do they re-sign EDS — who is shorter (6’2″) and a mere five pounds heavier (308#) ?
Would like for them to get somebody in the ~320# range — somebody good for something other than double-teams.
Interesting development.
Curious to see how it impacts offers to defensive players…
Bruising running back-check.
RB coach who played FB-check.
Bigger (interior) linemen-check.
Two points make a line, 3 a pattern-I think their envisioning something…
I think you’re reading a little too much into this move, buddy. We’re loaded at offensive tackle now even without Van Roten. And clearly he wasn’t playing up to par even when he was healthy, so it’s not worth keeping him. Case closed.
He was a bottom of the roster guy on a team with one Pro Bowl lineman…see ya