Joe Douglas' rebuild of the Jets' offensive line took another big step forward on Saturday evening.
The Jets have signed free agent guard Greg Van Roten to a three-year deal, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed.
Van Roten, 30, has been a starter for the Carolina Panthers in each of the last two seasons. He's been with the Panthers for the last three seasons overall after spending his first two NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers -- the team that originally signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Penn.
Van Roten's signing likely signals the end of Brian Winters' tenure with the Jets. Vacchiano notes that cutting Winters would create about $7.2 million in cap space.
Vacchiano reported earlier this week that the Jets were having talks with the 6-foot-3, 308-pound guard, and now Gang Green has brought him into the fold.
A Rockville Centre, N.Y. native and Chaminade High School grad, Van Roten figures to start for the Jets at right guard, opposite Alex Lewis and next to new center Connor McGovern.