Patriots to sign veteran OT Veldheer

The New England Patriots are planing on signing offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

They two parties may not make the deal official until later this week. That may be because New England wants to keep Veldheer from counting against the compensatory pick formula for the 2020 NFL Draft. Signings made on May 8 or later will not come into play for the Patriots’ draft compensation for their 2019 free agent, which is likely to earn them two third-round picks.

Pelissero adds Veldheer is expected to sign a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million and the contract should be finalized after the league-wide deadline passes for counting toward compensatory picks.

The 6-foot-8, 321-pound Veldheer provides plenty of experience with 118 career appearances and 113 starts on his nine-year career spent with the Oakland Raiders (2010-13), Arizona Cardinals(2014-17) and Denver Broncos (2018). He originally entered the league as a third-round pick with the Raiders. Veldheer, who turns 32 on June 14, also brings a versatile skill set when considering he possesses the ability to play both tackle positions, center and guard.

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Veldheer, who was acquired by the Denver Broncos last March in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals, was a steadying influence for a Denver offensive line beset by injuries and lineup changes during the 2018 season.

He started 12 games at right tackle for the Broncos, but he also didn’t escape the team’s rash of injuries. The 10-year veteran left one game with a concussion and missed four games with a knee injury.

He also has started at left tackle in his career, and he had one start at center while with the Oakland Raiders earlier in his career. The 6-foot-8 Veldheer was a bit of a late bloomer. A lightly recruited prep player in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Veldheer started for four seasons at Division II Hillsdale College before the Raiders made him a third-round pick (69th overall) in the 2010 draft.

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