It's Time to Bring Back Jared Veldheer
With some question marks surrounding the right tackle position this season, it's time for the Green Bay Packers to bring back Jared Veldheer.
By Paul_Bretl

Career NFL snaps at Tackle:
Bakhtiari: 7,738
Wagner: 5,686
Turner: 491
Light: 150
Taylor: 117
Conway: 0
Nijman: 0
Leglue: 0
Bruffy: 0— Paul Bretl (@Paul_Bretl) May 14, 2020
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Born and raised in Green Bay, WI and I still call it home. After my family, watching the Packers, sharing my opinions on the team through my writing and interacting with other fans is my greatest passion. You can find me on Twitter at @Paul_Bretl.
Comments (24)
Jnixman
July 31, 2020 at 02:03 pm
The Packers have a stop-gap in Wagner in place and normally when that’s done, there is at least one young rising player waiting in the wings. That person may exist among the candidates Paul listed (Nijman is intriguing) but only they know what they have. If the Packers don’t sign Veldheer, we’ll have to assume they are comfortable with their options. We’ll just have to hope they are right.
jannesbjornson
July 31, 2020 at 02:13 pm
The player will be a high pick from the 2021 draft.
gkarl
July 31, 2020 at 02:42 pm
it should have and could have been a pick from TY draft. Lucas Niang was available when we picked in 3rd round. I think Deguara would still have been there in round 5.
nostradanus
July 31, 2020 at 02:28 pm
The cost of signing Veldeer and Wagner is basically the same as signing Bulaga and taking up to roster spots instead of one. No, then they should’ve just kept Bulaga
splitpea1
July 31, 2020 at 02:32 pm
It doesn't sound like a bad idea, but then again, if this is going to be a shortened or compromised season, why not give the opportunities to the players already on the roster? It seems like an ideal time to give everybody a try so we have a clear picture of what we have going forward.
snowdog
August 01, 2020 at 12:24 pm
We might not be seeing the forest because of the trees here. Flip the field of playing or not playing.i.g Starters sit. play the "next-man-up"
position, with rooks too,as the starters and so on. I would expect it to pay off in spades going forward.
Just saying
Guam
July 31, 2020 at 06:30 pm
There have been several articles recently listing reasons to bring back aging veterans (Williams, Veldheer) or add new aging veterans (Griffin). I think that ship has sailed. The Packers have had plenty of opportunity to sign veterans and have declined to do so.
Besides all of the usual reasons (slowing the development of younger players; declining ability with advancing age) for not signing aging vets, there is also a financial reason. The Packers are facing a very tough 2021 salary cap and some extra dollars in 2021 might be very helpful in resigning one or more of Clarke, Bakh, Jones, King, etc. etc. I believe teams are allowed to carryover salary cap dollars from one year to the next provided they spend the league minimum in each year. The Packers might be better off carrying over the $8 million surplus they have this year rather than spending the money on veteran backups that might not see the field. I would much rather see that money spent on Clarke or King or Bahk than on Williams, Veldheer or Griffin.
Leatherhead
July 31, 2020 at 04:20 pm
The Packers had plenty of game film of Wagner against Mack, Barr, the Smiths, and other top edge rushers. He’s a known commodity to the people running the team. The only uncertainty is in the minds of the people who haven’t studied every snap Wagner has taken over the past 5 years.
Stroh
July 31, 2020 at 04:40 pm
Very good comment. Veldheer will be on Gutey speed dial if needed. If he makes the roster at the beginning of the season his salary is guaranteed. They need every penny of cap space.
PF4L
July 31, 2020 at 03:32 pm
I thought the same exact thing about Veldheer this off season. He came very, very cheap to the Pack last season. But who knows, maybe he retired again, for the 2nd time, but this time he means it.
TXCHEESE
July 31, 2020 at 03:51 pm
Unless there's a rash of injuries, there's no big hurry to go out and sign anyone. As camps get under way and cut downs come, you may find a better option than Velheer, especially if you're thinking insurance policy. Hang on to what you have and see what happens when the pads go on. One of the young guns could come out swinging and make this a moot point.
Stroh
July 31, 2020 at 03:55 pm
No its NOT the time to bring back Veldheer. If you sign him now and he is on the 53 man roster you just guaranteed his salary. Veldheer has alot of experience and doesn't need training camp as he proved last year. If or when Wagner fails or gets hurt THAT is the time to sign him! He will get a call from the Packers if or when they need him, not before!
No reason to guarantee his salary when you don't know if you'll even need him, especially for a team like the Packers who already have salary cap issues. Veldheer isn't going anywhere, he and Tramon will be on Guteys speed dial when or if they are needed!
#THINK
Coldworld
July 31, 2020 at 06:26 pm
Bang on point. And nothing has changed at RT between now and last month.
If nothing else we need football to feed the starving minds of Packers writers!
Thegreatreynoldo
August 02, 2020 at 03:40 am
Why would his salary be guaranteed?
JonathanSpader
July 31, 2020 at 07:46 pm
Goodbye Cole Madison
stockholder
July 31, 2020 at 07:47 pm
Gutey is doing everything on impulse now. Veldheer is done as a packer.
jannesbjornson
July 31, 2020 at 08:26 pm
Why would a veteran in the upper 30s want to play under Cov-2 conditions? They have family and are set for life financially.
Stroh
July 31, 2020 at 10:27 pm
Wgat the hell are talking about?! In impulse? Nothing the Packers or Gutey have done has been impulsive. Its all well thought out and calculated.
Veldheer will get a call if he's needed. Gutey probably has a verbal agreement with him in case he's needed.
Thegreatreynoldo
August 02, 2020 at 03:47 am
Veldheer has played for GB, Denver, Arizona and had a cup of coffee with NE, which just had a couple of OTs opt out. I imagine lots of GM have Veldheer on their speed dials.
I don't see any reason to believe Gute has Veldheer in his back pocket.
mnbadger
July 31, 2020 at 08:43 pm
Alot of assumptions but do we really know if he's going to play again? He hasn't retired officially, but he doesn't have to as he's a FA.
Do we know how much he wants for a one or two year deal?
Has he kept himself in shape, ready for training camp?
Does he like Green Bay? Not everyone does.
I'm hoping that Gutey knows the answers to these questions and has acted accordingly. GPG
Stroh
July 31, 2020 at 10:29 pm
Of course Gutey knows the answers to your questions. My guess is Veldheer has had this conversation with Gutey and will get a call should the need arise.
GLM
July 31, 2020 at 09:44 pm
We don't know what his asking price was, and is, but the team went in another direction. They also drafted 3 linemen, one of whom, at least, could be a starter or quality backup at T. That may take a year, so that does still raise some questions about this year. We'll have to wait and see. Be patient. We'll all be fortunate if there is even a season this year.
MarkinMadison
August 01, 2020 at 08:20 am
The Packers know what Veldheer is right now better than anyone else. Was he called for a penalty? No, but we all know that he should have been. Four years in Oakland. Four years in Arizona. One year in Denver. Four games in Green Bay (counting playoffs). I don't think teams will exploit him with a larger sample size (there is plenty of tape on him to break down). I don't think his sample size can get any larger. Father time has beat him.
P.S. Nijman is starting the year on the PUP.
mnbadger
August 05, 2020 at 08:29 am
what's wrong with Nijman?