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The crown jewel of the Arizona Cardinals 2014 free agent period and one of the best left tackles in Arizona Cardinals history (while the team has been in the desert) is retiring.
Veteran OT Jared Veldheer has informed the Patriots that he plans to retire, per a source.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 21, 2019
Jared Veldheer has not been a member of the Arizona Cardinals since 2017, but he was the cornerstone of an offensive line that went 24-8 in 2014 and 2015, his two healthy and productive years with the team.
The left tackle signed a five-year $35 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2014 offseason.
It was a bargain for Steve Keim and the franchise, who was in desperate need of any type of upgrade at the left tackle position.
Veldheer for two seasons was everything they could have hoped for and more.
He produced when on the field, only allowing 6.5 sacks in his first two seasons and only getting called for three holding penalties.
For the Arizona Cardinals, to get that over 32 games from a left tackle was a Godsend.
It didn’t last, as Veldheer battled injuries the next two seasons, starting only 21 games which included a move to right tackle, before moving back to left tackle for an injured D.J. Humphries.
Yet, for two seasons, the first time since Lomas Brown manned the position, the Arizona Cardinals had a legitimate NFL left tackle.
Good luck in your next adventure, Jared.