Why Jared Veldheer is being held out of Denver Broncos OTAs
The Denver Broncos will be without projected starting right tackle Jared Veldheer for OTAs starting on Tuesday. Here’s the reason why…
The Denver Broncos won’t have their probable starting five linemen for week one of the 2018 season on the field at OTAs on Tuesday.
Despite my hopes to see one cohesive unit from May through September, right tackle Jared Veldheer is being held out of OTAs for precautionary reasons after an ankle issue dating back to December.
Nicki Jhabvala reported he would be held out:
Among those not expected to participate in Broncos OTAs on tomorrow is RT Jared Veldheer. He suffered an ankle injury last December and the team is being cautious with his return.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 21, 2018
The Broncos acquired Veldheer in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals this offseason in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick. The Cardinals used the pick on Penn State defensive back Chris Campbell.
The Broncos have made a habit of bringing in seasoned linemen in John Elway’s tenure, especially in recent years. They have typically looked to the interior line for help, but Elway understood the team needed a solution at right tackle this offseason, and Veldheer was the best bang for the buck.
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Costing only a sixth-round pick, Veldheer should be able to step right into a starting role for the Broncos and if he can stay healthy, he will represent one of the greatest upgrades on the roster.
Staying healthy has obviously been Veldheer’s issue, but when he’s healthy, he’s actually a very good player, unlike what we’ve seen in recent years from guys like Donald Stephenson and Menelik Watson, who aren’t very good regardless of health.
With a healthy Veldheer, the Broncos would have one of the biggest, baddest, and most athletic tackle tandems in the NFL.
Veldheer was drafted in the third round by the Oakland Raiders in the 2010 NFL Draft after a phenomenal showing at the 2010 Scouting Combine.
After his stint with the Raiders, Veldheer moved on to the Arizona Cardinals where he has played the past four seasons.
The Broncos traded for the final year of Veldheer’s contract, and could look to extend him at season’s end. Veldheer is still just 30 years old and was playing at a high level last season after getting off to a slow start.