When it was announced that the New England Patriots were signing former Raiders, Cardinals and Broncos offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, some Dolphins fans bemoaned the move. Why? Because it’s Miami who has the clear need at offensive tackle — why let the division rival Patriots snatch up a potential starter on the open market? Especially at a team-friendly rate!
As it turns out, Miami lucked out. The Dolphins instead signed Jordan Mills to compete for the starting right tackle position. Veldheer? He has already had a significant change of heart — he’s already told the Patriots he plans to retire.
This isn’t a death blow for the Patriots by any means. But imagine if Miami had been the ones to ink Veldheer, only to have him flip the switch and call it a career. This scenario would have been a nightmare for Miami, especially if Mills was off the market by the time Veldheer announced his change of heart.
The Patriots have enough depth to take a hit like this in stride — the Dolphins do not. It’s all hands on deck for Miami, meaning their non-action in pursuit of Veldheer was the best move for the franchise. A little luck can go a long way and for the hard luck Dolphins, it’s nice to get a bounce.
