5 players the Arizona Cardinals can’t afford to lose
By Scott Allen
3. Jared Veldheer
Veldheer protects quarterback Carson Palmer. It should be that simple to understand how big of a loss losing Veldheer would be.
Veldheer keep Palmer upright for the most part last season. Palmer was sacked just 25 times over the course of the 2015 season.
Not only is Veldheer important to Palmer but to the offensive line as a whole. There have been several changes on the line but Veldheer is one of the mainstays. Continuity is key and Palmer needs him to be there at all times.
Veldheer has played in all 32 regular-season and all three post-season games for the Cardinals in his first two seasons in the desert. Entering season number three in Arizona being available is more important than ever. He has a lot of unproven depth behind him.
After Veldheer there is a drop off in experience at tackle. Everyone else, including second-year tackle D.J. Humphries, has little to no NFL experience. Humphries did not play a down in his rookie season.
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