This is the second installment of my “Five Players That Have to be Good” for the Green Bay Packers. My second choice is offensive lineman Greg van Roten.
On game days, most teams (Packers included), dress 7 offensive linemen. The general idea behind this is that there is a backup tackle and a backup interior offensive linemen available should someone get hurt during the game. The backup interior OL is either expected to be able to play center, or one of the starting guards has to have the ability to slide inside. Center is not a plug and play position in the NFL. The center needs to be able to work with the QB and his line mates to make protection calls and recognize blitz packages.
When Scott Wells was allowed to leave in free agency following the 2011 season, it was assumed that a draft pick would be used to get a young center to fill his shoes, as that was the Packer way under GM Ted Thompson. When the board didn’t fall that way and Thompson decided to use his first 6 picks on defense, the Packers had to turn to a veteran. They signed Jeff Saturday, one of the most respected centers of his generation. Although Saturday did make the Pro Bowl, it was on reputation. Saturday was benched towards the end of the season and replaced by Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Last season, “EDS” was the Packers’ “Break Glass In Case of Emergency” interior lineman. When Bryan Bulaga went down with a hip injury and Derek Sherrod was unable to make it back from his broken leg, TJ Lang was kicked out to RT and EDS came in at LG. When Saturday was deemed unworthy at C, EDS came in. The Packers trusted Evan Dietrich-Smith to cover any gaps that they had in their interior offensive line.
Here’s a terrifying question: now that Saturday has retired, who plays center if something happens to Evan Dietrich-Smith in 2013? I’ll tell you this much it isn’t going to be a drafted center, or anyone who has played center in a meaningful NFL game. TJ Lang has taken “emergency” snaps at center in practice. JC Tretter was drafted out of the Ivy League in the 4th round to possibly be the first interior lineman off the bench, but he broke his ankle Ryan Grant style in OTAs. Is the answer to the question “everyone panic!”?
Right now the answer to the question is another Ivy Leaguer, Greg Van Roten out of Penn, who was signed as an undrafted free agent out of college. He, like so many of the Packers offensive linemen, played tackle in college. His size, (6’4” 293) makes him a little too small to hold up on the edge of the line as a tackle, but a serviceable size for a center. Van Roten also should have the smarts required to handle the position. He was a 2 time first team Ivy Leaguer and honorable mention as a sophomore. He started all 30 games for the Quakers following his freshman year, all at the coveted position of left tackle. It is to the Packers advantage that he was immediately converted into a backup interior OL last season, and has spent time in practice and in the preseason taking snaps at center.
The Packers will be fine at tackle as far as depth is concerned. Whoever doesn’t win the RT job between Newhouse, Sherrod (if healthy), or Barclay will be the first man up (although I would imagine that if Newhouse wins the job and Bulaga goes down for any lengthy period of time he would go back to LT and Barclay would play RT again). The fact that the entire line has been flip flopped, with only EDS remaining in his position makes the lack of proven depth behind him all the more concerning. If EDS went down early, it’s entirely possible (and very scary) that Green Bay could have 5 OL on a line that just gave up 51 sacks each playing out of position. For this reason if Dietrich-Smith was to go down with an injury, it’s very important that Van Roten can come in, make the correct protection calls, and hold up as a blocker (especially in pass pro). Neither I, nor anyone else in Packer Nation feels it necessary to watch the Graham Harrell Experience: Part Deux because Aaron Rodgers got smacked.
Greg Van Roten has to be good.
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Ross Uglem is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
You can follow Ross on twitter at RossUglem
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2 responses to “5 Guys That Have to be Good: #2 – Greg Van Roten”
It’s funny nobody ever mentions Andrew Datkos name. We all speak of Sherrod, Barclay, Newhouse, and Bakhtiari. This guy was supposed to be rated as high as a 2nd rounder if not for the shoulder surgery he had. He’s had a entire season and off season to get ready yet I never hear the guys name. Can anyone tell me what happened to this guy. I know he’s still on the team, just never talked about.
Nick, thanks for the feedback. I think the answer here is twofold. First of all, you have to look at what the Packers have invested in those other players compared to what they have invested in Datko. Of course the organization, coaches, media, fans etc. are going to talk about a 1st rounder, 2 mid round picks and a former starter before they’re going to discuss a 7th round selection. The second problem is that in both ’10 and ’12 the Packers lost more games from starters due to injury than any other team in the league. Players like Charles Woodson, DJ Smith and Desmond Bishop who have been injured significantly have been let go, presumably because of their inability to stay on the field. I feel like it’s hard for both the organization and the fans to get behind a player that has a tough time staying on the field, whether he’s healthy now and ready to play or not.