NFL NEWS

Cardinals snag former Raiders T Veldheer

The Sports Xchange

March 11, 2014 at 5:08 pm.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Whenever Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has been asked about his team’s needs this offseason, the answer has always been the same: We need to get stronger on both lines of scrimmage.

The Cardinals’ first step in free agency backed that up. They reached agreement with Oakland left tackle Jared Veldheer in the first minutes of the new league year, paying him a reported $35 million over five years.

Veldheer is young (27) and huge (6 feet 8, 321 pounds). The hope is that he is also talented. The Cardinals have not had an elite left tackle since Luis Sharpe retired in the mid-1990s.

The remaking of the offensive line, however, will not stop there. Guard Daryn Colledge, a starter since 2011, was released. Jonathan Cooper, who missed all of his rookie year in 2013 with a fractured leg, is the replacement.

Earl Watford, a fourth-round pick a year ago, is the leading contender to start at right guard. He was active a year ago but did not play a snap of offense.

The starting right tackle probably is not on the roster right now, although Bobby Massie could assume that job.

But the way it looks now, the Cardinals will have at least three new starters on the offensive line in 2014, and quite possibly four. At least two of the starters, Cooper and Watford, have no experience.

But Arians is a believer in playing youngsters. He did it as the interim coach with the Colts in 2012 and with the Cardinals in 2013.

He is willing to endure some tough stretches if it makes the long-term product better.

During the weekend before free agency, the Cardinals had resigned themselves to losing linebacker Karlos Dansby. So it was not a surprise when word spread that he had reached a deal with Cleveland Browns. According to a source, it’s worth $24 million over four years, including $14 guaranteed.

The Cardinals did not want to offer more than two years to the 32-year-old linebacker.

Dansby produced at a high level in 2013 and the Cardinals will miss his leadership.

They will count heavily upon Kevin Minter, a second-round pick a year ago, to pick up the slack.

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