Brian Gutekunst is a Magicigan & Somehow Signs Jared Veldheer
Brian Gutekunst is not done making moves. Even though the Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs, the top-seeded team in the NFC, they’re not settling. Case in point yesterday when the Packers announced that they’re signing Jared Veldheer. They had Jared on the team last season for the playoff run, and Green Bay is running it back. Some wondered how that would be possible with Veldheer starting for the Indianapolis Colts last week. In a weird loophole, Green Bay made it happen because he was on the practice squad.
OT Jared Veldheer, who started for the Colts' on Saturday, is now signing with the Packers, per source.
Veldheer will be the first player in NFL history to play two postseason games for two playoff teams. He is allowed to sign with GB because he was on the Colts' practice squad.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2021
Now, will Veldheer start out the gate for the Packers? I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Remember, Matt LaFleur said that they were going to be versatile with their offensive line. Part of me wonders if they would bring Billy Turner back to right guard this week to cover Aaron Donald, put Veldheer at left tackle with Jenkins, Linsley, and Wagner rounding it out. It is very possible. But Green Bay could also go status quo. While Lucas Patrick is the weak link in that group, he is still pretty good for his position.
Regardless, Veldheer gives Green Bay a great boost and a solid backup that the team desperately needed with the injury to David Bakhtiari. That is a major shot in the arm moving forward for Green Bay. Gutekunst deserves a ton of credit for what he’s done down the stretch here. He signed Tavon Austin, Snacks Harrison, and now Veldheer. The guy is improving the roster every week versus settling with what they have. Ted Thompson is better than people gave him credit for, but he had this innate ability to staying put. Not Gute.
Charlie.