The Green Bay Packers have offensive tackle Jared Veldheer in the building and ready to practice on Tuesday, and coach Matt LaFleur believes the veteran – who played in two big games for the Packers last season – can add valuable depth along the offensive line.
The Packers signed Veldheer after his stint on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad ended this past week.
“You can never have enough great players, and Jared is a guy who we definitely hold in high regard. It definitely adds depth to that room, which you can’t have enough of,” LaFleur said.
Veldheer replaced right tackle Bryan Bulaga in both Week 17 and the NFC Divisional Round last season, including a start against the Seattle Seahawks in the postseason.
This past Saturday, Veldheer started at left tackle for the Colts after being a gameday elevation from the practice squad. He was eligible to join the Packers after the Colts lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round.
LaFleur isn’t certain how much Veldheer can contribute right away, but he does have experience in the offense from last season, helping expedite the process of getting back up to speed in Green Bay.
“We have to wait and see, see how much recall he has from last year. He just played in a game this weekend in a totally different offense. We’ll try to get him acclimated and welcome him back as soon as possible,” LaFleur said.
The Packers could use Veldheer, who has over 100 career starts, as a backup behind Billy Turner, who replaced David Bakhtiari (injured reserve) at left tackle, and Rick Wagner, the new starter at right tackle. Wagner was on the injury report in Week 17 with a knee injury but played through the issue.
The Packers host the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at Lambeau Field.
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