The Green Bay Packers have signed offensive tackle Jared Veldheer.
Veldheer, 33, will attempt to fill the massive void left by All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari. The three-time Pro Bowler—who inked a record contract extension in November—tore his ACL in practice ahead of Week 17.
Billy Turner started at LT for the Packersagainst the Chicago Bears in the regular season finale, while Rick Wagner started at right tackle.
If you feel like you've heard Veldheer's name recently, that might be because he started for the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday in their 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card round.
Notably, if Veldheer sees the field on Saturday, he will become the first player in NFL history to play for two teams in a single postseason. He's eligible to sign with the Packers because he was signed to the Colts' practice squad—not the 53-man roster—before getting the start against Buffalo.
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
Moreover, because he was employed by another NFL team this week, Jared Veldheer is already in the league's COVID-19 testing program.
The Packers could start Veldheer at one of the tackle spots and move Turner to right guard, or rely on him as a backup. Wagner has been dealing with knee issues, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky.
It's not Veldheer's first time pinch-hitting late in the season for the Packers. Green Bay lured the veteran lineman out of retirement in Nov. 2019, and he ended up starting at RT in the team's divisional round win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Colts signed Veldheer in December. He got the start in Week 17, too. For his career, Veldheer has started 114 games for five different franchises across 11 seasons.
The top-seeded Packers (13-3), coming off a first-round bye, will host the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on Saturday.
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