The Super Bowl is barely in the rearview mirror, and we're already moving to free agency speculation.
Raiders tackle Jared Veldheer has said often that he wants to stay in Oakland, but he hasn't heard much from the team lately.
"I'm staying patient, but a little bit of urgency from the other side would be nice," Veldheer said Monday on KGMZ-FM, via CSN Bay Area. "It's tough when that kind of stuff happens, because it goes against everything that's been said about being a cornerstone of the team that (they're) going to build around. It doesn't back up those words with the right action."
Veldheer isn't a household name, but he should be a big priority for Oakland. He's the most important Raiders free agent this offseason, with defensive lineman Lamarr Houston the only player close to Veldheer in value. If Veldheer made it to free agency, he'd be one of the best players in a crop of offensive tackles that includes Eugene Monroe, Branden Albert and Michael Oher.
Good left tackles are hard to find, and the Raiders have escaped their salary-cap issues in recent years. That's why it's hard to imagine them letting Veldheer get away.
*The "Around The League Podcast" taped our Super Bowl XLVIII recap from MetLife Stadium right after the game. *
