Nate Solder

New York Giants OT Nate Solder Opts Out Of 2020 Season

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

The New York Giants have had their first player officially opt out of the 2020 NFL season: offensive tackle Nate Solder.

Nate Solder announced today that he will be opting out of the 2020 season due to serious health concerns. Nate’s son, Hudson Solder, has been fighting an ongoing battle with cancer. Hudson is at high-risk if he were to contract the coronavirus. The Solder family has also welcomed a baby boy as a new addition to the family this spring. Nate Solder has eliminated certain risks by opting out of this year’s NFL season to protect his family’s health.

Nate Solder released this official statement on Twitter below:

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous opt-outs across the NFL. Nate Solder is the twenty-sixth NFL player to opt-out of the season, the first member of the New York Giants to do so. Training camp began yesterday for the Giants. Players underwent their first round of COVID-19 testing and will continue to be tested until they are cleared to practice.

With this news, the Giants have lost one of their two starting offensive tackles. This leaves the door wide open for rookie Andrew Thomas to start immediately at left tackle in 2020. Solder opting out also frees up $19.5 million on the Giants’ 2020 salary cap. But the money does roll into 2021 and likely extends Solder’s career with the Giants.

Nate Solder’s opt-out could also have a ripple effect across the Giants’ offensive line. This creates even more uncertainty over who might start at both right tackle and center. Nick Gates could see himself take a starting role this season and rookie Matt Peart might now have a shot at the right tackle position.

Nate Solder’s family is the top priority. He has made this careful decision to protect the health of himself and his loved ones and he deserves respect and admiration for doing so.

New York Giants And 4th Overall Pick Andrew Thomas Agree To Terms

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New York Giants, Andrew Thomas

The New York Giants have agreed to terms with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. The Giants and Thomas are in agreement on a four-year, fully guaranteed $32.345M contract with a $21.1M signing bonus, according to Ian Rapoport.

Andrew Thomas, the three-year starter out of Georgia, is the fourth top-five pick to get his deal done. Thomas will take a physical today then sign the contract.

The New York Giants desperately needed an upgrade at offensive tackle this offseason. Last season, the Giants’ starting offensive tackles allowed a combined 96 pressures. Nate Solder accounted for 56 of those pressures and also allowed 11 sacks on the season. Andrew Thomas is now in a contractual agreement to be the Giants’ left tackle of the future.

Andrew Thomas played 1,075 pass-block snaps in his collegiate career. On those snaps, Thomas allowed only 37 total pressures. He also has not allowed more than 2 pressures in a game since 2017 (his freshman season at right tackle).

The Giants report to training camp tomorrow. New York is working to get its entire rookie draft class under contract. Sixth-round pick Cam Brown signed his rookie contract earlier today. Seventh-round pick Tae Crowder has also signed. TJ Brunson, Matt Peart, and Darnay Holmes have also agreed to terms with the Giants. There are only a few rookies left for the Giants to sign, including second-round pick Xavier McKinney. Expect to see the Giants complete these deals with their rookies very soon.

The New York Giants could lose Nate Solder in 2020 due to Covid-19 concerns

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

The New York Giants are gearing up for training camp to begin, with rookies reporting on Tuesday.

The offensive line remains a questionable unit. There are multiple position battles that will take place in te coming weeks.. Left tackle, right tackle, and center all represent open spots. Drafting Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick gives the Giants a fresh face to add to the mix.

However, they are still dealing with the Nate Solder predicament. Solder ranked as one of the worst tackles in the league in 2019, allowing 11 sacks and five penalties. His struggles are more technique based, having made a poor transition from the New England Patriots over to the Giants in 2018. There is a more personal deficiency at play. It revolves around his young son who has been battling cancer for the past few years.

According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Solder represents a David Vs. Goliath complex, dealing with cancer within his family and playing football.

Within the Giants’ walls, Solder is respected as a towering athlete and soulful leader, a durable and reliable player whose on-field performance for some reason deteriorated badly in 2019.

Head coach Joe Judge is excited to work with Solder:

“Yes, I believe in Nate Solder.” I’m happy Nate Solder is here. I can’t wait to work with him on the field. Nate’s been a great leader for us, Nate’s working his butt off. I’m very excited to have Nate on the team.”

“I know Nate, I’ve known him for years,’’ Judge said. “I know what he’s capable of, and I know [offensive line coach] Marc Colombo is going to work his butt off with Nate, and I know Nate is going to work as hard as he can to be the best player he can. I’m excited to see him in the field.’’

The New York Giants should be preparing for the worst-case scenario

The Giants’ organization is clearly high on Nate, who they paid a record amount for two years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic represents just another hurdle the left tackle will have to consider this NFL season.

His son, who could be a liable risk due to the virus and Solder’s insertion in the trenches of football, could force him to opt-out of the 2020 season. This is a very real scenario the Giants must be considering. The left tackle has always put his family first.

If Solder does, in fact, opt-out, Thomas would immediately start at left tackle and Cameron Fleming/Nick Gates would battle it out on the right side. Luckily, the Giants have the talent to work around that scenario, but it certainly would be a significant hit to their continuity.

New York Giants: What Will The Starting Offensive Line Look Like In 2020?

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New York Giants, Nate Solder, Andrew Thomas

The New York Giants have had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL over the past few years. The team has struggled to find consistent offensive tackle play since investing a top-ten pick in Ereck Flowers in 2015. From Flowers to Solder, the Giants have been disappointed by their recent expensive offensive line investments.

New York is hoping that that trend of disappointing offensive line investments ends after this season. This offseason, the Giants invested heavily in their offensive line, drafting three linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Giants also signed an offensive tackle in free agency and significantly upgraded their offensive line coach.

Giants fans are hopeful about their offensive line for the first time in a while. Andrew Thomas was drafted fourth overall, signaling a cultural shift by the Giants towards a more traditional team-building philosophy. The Giants are prioritizing the offensive line and finally, for the first time in years, have depth in the positional group.

Projecting the 2020 Offensive Line

 

  • LT – Andrew Thomas
  • LG – Will Hernandez
  • C – Nick Gates
  • RG – Kevin Zeitler
  • RT – Nate Solder
  • Depth – Spencer Pulley, Shane Lemieux, Cameron Fleming, and Matt Peart
  • OL Coach – Marc Colombo

The Starting Five

The Giants drafted Andrew Thomas to be the team’s left tackle of the future. Some have suggested that Thomas should start his career at right tackle, but in my opinion, Thomas should start at left tackle right away.

Nate Solder allowed 11 sacks in 2019 according to Pro Football Focus, the third most out of any offensive tackle in the NFL. To make matters even worse, Solder allowed 57 pressures in 2019. This was the most of any offensive lineman in the NFL. Andrew Thomas played 1,075 pass-block snaps in his collegiate career. On those snaps, Thomas allowed only 37 total pressures. He also has not allowed more than 2 pressures in a game since 2017 (his freshman season at right tackle). It is highly possible that Andrew Thomas is the best left tackle on the Giants’ roster despite never playing a snap in the NFL.

Will Hernandez is entering his third NFL season after taking a small step back in 2019. Big Will looked promising as a rookie but struggled to develop as a sophomore. This could have been for a couple of reasons: Hernandez was playing between two bad players, and the Giants’ coaching staff was one of the league’s worst. Luckily for Hernandez, both of these problems seem to have been fixed. This could be his breakout season.

The center position is by far the biggest question mark on the Giants’ roster in 2020. There will be a positional battle at center during training camp and preseason. In my opinion, Nick Gates is the top candidate for the position. Gates finished the 2019 season with a 77.0 overall grade and only 1 sack allowed in 290 snaps (Pro Football Focus). However, Spencer Pulley could win the job based on seniority and past experience. Gates has never played center before but has been impressive in limited snaps at offensive guard and offensive tackle.

Despite never making the Pro Bowl in his career, Kevin Zeitler has been one of the best pass-blocking offensive guards in the NFL. Also according to Pro Football Focus, Zeitler finished with the sixth-best grade among guards and posted a strong 75.0 pass-blocking grade — the sixth-straight year he’s achieved that mark. Zeitler is a lock for the Giants’ right guard position and should get a contract extension after his contract expires next offseason.

Solid Depth

Nate Solder is likely to move over to right tackle, but if that does not go well, the Giants have solid depth pieces behind him. New York signed Cam Fleming this offseason to be a swing tackle or backup offensive tackle. They also drafted Matt Peart out of UConn in the third round. Peart is not likely to be ready for NFL action in his first season, but he has a lot of potential down the road as a starting offensive tackle.

An Improved Coaching Staff

The hiring of Marc Colombo was huge for the Giants. Colombo has helped maintain the Dallas Cowboy’s offensive line’s status as one of the best in the NFL. Cowboys players have stated that Colombo’s relatability in his youth helped the offensive line grow and gravitate towards its coach.

“I’ve had the pleasure of being around a lot of people in this game. But Marc is in the front of the class. That’s the ultimate compliment I can give him. You get inspired by Marc every day you’re around him.” – Jason Garrett on Mar Colombo via ESPN

 

New York Giants: New Report Paints A Different Picture Of Nate Solder

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

Nate Solder is set to have a make or break season with the New York Giants this year. The Giants are definitely overpaying for Solder’s talents, but the degree that they’re overpaying depends on the production they get from the left tackle.

Solder didn’t do nearly enough to earn his salary last season. As for the current season, we have yet to see where Solder fits into the plans. The team presumably isn’t going to send a player they’re paying this much for to the bench. Even if rookie Andrew Thomas is the more attractive option at left tackle.

A new report, though, claims that Solder has a better reputation inside the organization than he does with the fans.

Do the New York Giants still believe in Nate Solder?

According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Solder still has a pretty good reputation within the team itself. It will be a surprising revelation to some – the narrative around Solder outside of the team is almost entirely negative thanks to his high cost and underperformance.

Within the Giants’ walls, Solder is respected as a towering athlete and soulful leader, a durable and reliable player whose on-field performance for some reason deteriorated badly in 2019.

The report also claims the Giants never seriously considered moving on from Solder after the season. It’s more likely that they’ll start both Solder and Andrew Thomas. That indeed looks like the option the Giants will go with. Solder didn’t perform as expected last year, but on the other hand, the team has no other right tackle option with as much credibility as Solder.

It might not be the most popular decision with fans. But with no other apparent alternative, it looks like the choice the team will make.

Is it for better or worse? Well, training camp begins near the end of this month, if nothing changes again, and that’s the first time we’ll get to see just what kind of state Nate Solder is in this year.

New York Giants: Nate Solder and Leonard Williams combine for a massive percentage of salary cap

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New York Giants, Leonard Williams

The New York Giants are strapped of cash this year due to several contracts that are taking up a high percentage of cap space.

With DeAndre Baker dealing with legal issues, which seemingly took a turn for the worst last week, having extra money available would have been beneficial. If Baker is guilty of the charges being pressed against him, the Giants will be down one starting cornerback.

Supplementing his loss will be essential, even if the Giants elect to go with their younger options in hopes of development. However, the two players that take up the most cap space are also the most controversial on the team.

Leonard Williams and Nate Solder are the two players aforementioned, accounting for 18% of the Giants’ cap.

Solder, who signed a four year, $62 million deal with the Giants in 2018, had a potential out this off-season. If the Giants cut him, he would’ve counted $16 million in dead cap, which would result in just a $3.5 million in savings. However, if the Giants wait until 2021, his cap hit will go down to $6.5 million, where they will save $14 million.

Waiting one more season is highly advisable, as Solder still has some value if moved over to the right tackle spot. In addition, personal issues in his life have limited his development with the Giants and adaptation to their style.

Why Nate Solder has struggled with the New York Giants:

Essentially, he has failed to change his technique from New England. Tom Brady took far shorter drop-backs than Eli Manning and Daniel Jones. He has been pushing his assignment right into the Giants’ quarterbacks. He would open up his outside shoulder, giving opposing pass rushers the speed rush around the edge, and Brady would simply step up into the pocket to avoid it. Manning and Jones are different types of quarterbacks, as they take 7-8 yard drop-backs instead of 4-yard.

As for Leonard Williams, we all know the debate surrounding his retention. General manager Dave Gettleman gave up a third and fifth-round pick to acquire Williams from the New York Jets in 2019. Most arguments are based on his low sack totals, but there’s no doubt Williams has an impact on the interior defensive line. His ability to draw double teams and put pressure on the pocket is evident, but for $16.1 million per season, his services are overvalued. The Giants need to lower that 18% hit in 2021, and I imagine they will do just that by cutting Solder and reworking Williams’s contract if he performs in 2020.

New York Giants: Nate Solder The Most Overpaid OT In The League?

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

It’s just about fact that the New York Giants are overpaying offensive tackle Nate Solder. The team took a risk on making him the highest paid tackle in the league and at this point in time, that risk hasn’t paid off. Few are looking forward to seeing Solder return to a starting position for another season after a rough debut year with the Giants, and the word is that Solder might have to move to another position on the line due to Andrew Thomas coming in to start at the left tackle spot.

In other words, Solder definitely has a bad contract. But is it the worse one in the league, at any position? CBS Sports thinks so, according to a recent article.

Nate Solder, the most overpaid in the league?

The article makes the point that while the Giants made Solder the highest paid offensive lineman in the league, they also moved to draft a tackle in the top five almost immediately after. The Giants wouldn’t have done that if Solder performed at left tackle, and according to the article, it’s part of the evidence that Solder is the most overpaid player not just on the Giants but in the league as a whole.

When the Giants made Nate Solder the highest-paid left tackle in NFL history back in 2018, they were probably hoping that his play would justify his pay, but that simply hasn’t been the case. Solder has been so bad that he might actually go down as one of the free agent busts in NFL history. If you watched any highlights of the Giants from 2019, you may have noticed that Daniel Jones was almost always running for his life. A big reason for that is because of Solder’s struggles: The left tackle surrendered 11 sacks last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

A position change, possibly to right tackle, looks to be in the future of Solder. At the very least, he’ll have to compete with Andrew Thomas – and Thomas, of course, is a rookie. Normally, a rookie wouldn’t compete immediately with a player that’s recently signed such a large deal.

But this isn’t a normal circumstance. Thanks to Solder’s play last season, the Giants are already looking at other options.

However, Solder is still the team’s highest paid player in spite of this. He’s making more than Leonard Williams, more than Saquon Barkley or Golden Tate, and more than the pricey new addition Blake Martinez, all while offering less production than all of them.

The verdict? Saying that Solder is the most overpaid player in the league isn’t an understatement. Despite the high cost the Giants paid to get him, they’re already trying to move on at left tackle, and that shows the Giants are getting a terrible value for the price they’re paying.

What Should The New York Giants Do With Nate Solder In 2020?

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

The New York Giants made it an emphasis this offseason to improve their offensive line this offseason. The Giants spent three draft picks on offensive linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft. One of those picks was an offensive guard but their other two were both offensive tackles (Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart). In addition to those they drafted, the Giants also signed offensive tackle Cameron Fleming in free agency.

Now, with three more offensive tackles on the roster, the Giants have plenty of depth and options heading into the new season. But what will the team do with its starting left tackle from 2019? Nate Solder is due to make $19.5M this season. He was recently named the “most overrated player” in the NFL by CBS Sports. With all of these options at offensive tackle, what should the Giants do with Nate Solder and his huge contract in 2020?

Start Him At Left Tackle?

Of course, the Giants could keep Nate Solder around as their starting left tackle. This would provide continuity for Daniel Jones and continues to pay Solder for what he was signed to play. However, in my opinion, this would be a mistake.

The Giants should start Andrew Thomas at left tackle as soon as possible. Why should they move him to the right side of the offensive line for his rookie season if they plan to start him at left tackle for the rest of his career? This could stunt his development, but more importantly, it could stunt Daniel Jones’s development.

Nate Solder was one of the worst offensive tackles in the NFL in 2020. According to Pro Football Focus, Solder “allowed a league-high 56 pressures while ranking just 70th out of 89 qualifiers with a 52.9 run-blocking grade.” This could be compared to Andrew Thomas’s prolific collegiate career in which he surrendered a total of 37 total pressures on 1,075 pass-block snaps and “only nine total pressures during his third and final season with the Bulldogs.”

Andrew Thomas should play left tackle right away because he is arguably the best left tackle on the roster already, despite never playing a snap in the NFL. Protecting Daniel Jones is the most important task for the Giants’ offensive line. The Giants are not protecting Daniel Jones to the best of their abilities if Nate Solder is starting at left tackle in 2020.

Start Him At Right Tackle?

So if Nate Solder is a liability at left tackle, could they start him at right tackle instead? Would that be an improvement? Currently, the Giants’ group of left tackles if full of unknowns; Matt Peart and Nick Gates are young and unproven players. Cameron Fleming was signed during free agency, presumably to be the team’s right tackle this season. That was before the Giants drafted both Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart.

Now there seems to be a bit of a positional battle at right tackle. Nate Solder and Cameron Fleming are both strong candidates for the position as they both provide veteran experience. Nate Solder starting at right tackle would be better than him starting at left tackle because he would be in the quarterback’s field of vision. Having Solder on the blindside led to a number of Daniel Jones fumbles. Jones is a pretty mobile quarterback, so maybe he could get away from some of those sacks and pressures if he sees them before they get there.

Trade Or Cut?

The Giants should see how Nate Solder plays at right tackle in training camp and preseason. If his performance improves and he looks like the best right tackle on the roster, then the Giants should allow him to start the regular season at that position. However, if he is unable to win the starting right tackle job before the season begins, the Giant should consider moving on from the 9-year NFL veteran.

As previously stated, Solder has a cap hit of $19.5M this season. He also had a dead cap hit of $16M, however, that was his pre-June 1st dead cap hit. Post-June 1st, Solder’s dead cap hit is only $9.5M. So if the Giants cut or trade Nate Solder before the start of the 2020 NFL season, they will free up $10M in salary cap space. That money could then be reinvested to sign a new right tackle or a new cornerback, or the Giants could save the money.

Trading Nate Solder might prove to be a difficult task. Not a lot of teams are looking for a $19M left tackle who let up 56 pressures last season. The Giants will likely not have a market for Solder if they choose to trade him, but cutting him would be a cap-friendly decision. The move would also free up $14M in cap space in 2021.

The Giants’ offensive line should be much improved in 2020; especially if Nate Solder’s performance improves. But the most exciting thing about the Giants’ new offensive line is the depth that they possess. Even if Solder doesn’t improve this year, the Giants have options- and they have not had options in a long time.

New York Giants: Nate Solder Tweets Ominous Warning Of “No Football In 2020”

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

Just about everyone, from the fans to the players, want the NFL to come back in 2020 and for the season to not be delayed or cancelled because of COVID-19. At least, that’s been the narrative so far. The league and the player’s association have been working together so far to come to an agreement on the terms of the season, but according to New York Giants tackle Nate Solder, the season isn’t a guarantee yet.

Solder’s words carry more weight than that of the average player because he’s the current NFLPA representative on the Giants. And according to him, the NFL still has to do its part to keep the players healthy.

He tweeted a warning about the matter, that’s short and gets right to the point. It’s not known what Solder’s actual dispute with the NFL is right now, but it is known that the NFLPA and the league are in negotiations for the coming season.

There won’t be football without the players, and therefore, the season won’t happen unless the league can get the player’s association to agree to terms. The main issues have to do with the COVID-19 pandemic and how the league will handle health and safety issues related to this.

It already looks increasingly unlikely that the preseason will even happen, with training camp set to start late July and the preseason having been cut to two games per team.  These concessions may not be enough as the NFLPA wants to do away with the preseason altogether for 2020.

And with the way things are going so far this year, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Solder’s warning came true and the season ended up called off altogether.

New York Giants: Andrew Thomas developing a relationship with the very man he might be replacing

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New York Giants, Nate Solder

The New York Giants drafted Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Their expectation was that he would develop into a starting tackle, preferably on the left side. Replacing Nate Solder became essential after he allowed 11 sacks and put rookie quarterback Daniel Jones in peril far too often.

Thomas is a mean player who stands his ground and can move well in the run game. While he undoubtedly has weaknesses to refine, he has the highest floor of any tackle prospect coming out of the 2020 draft class. He has Pro Bowl potential and is a year one starter given his frame and fundamental approach to the game.

Despite his advantages, new head coach Joe Judge has made it apparent that every player will be fighting for their position, even ones who are expected to start. Nobody is guaranteed a spot on the team, and Thomas has plenty of competition to conquer. He inevitably hast to dethrone Solder at left tackle or solidify the right tackle spot over Cameron Fleming and Nick Gates.

However, Thomas is developing a relationship with the very man he might displace after the 2020 season. The expectation is that the Giants will release Solder from his four-year, $62 million deal. After this upcoming season, he will count just $6.5 million in dead-cap, but if retained will count $20.5 million. Releasing him seems like the best move, considering the monetary allocations and repercussions.

That hasn’t stopped Thomas and Solder from developing a relationship and connecting on one significant thing.

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Andrew Thomas spoke on the Giants Huddle podcast, stating:

“For the rookies, the big thing for us is knowing everybody on the team, knowing the staff,” Thomas said. “They test us all the time because they want us to know. The NFL is a people’s league, and we have to know our teammates and the people that we’ll see in the building every day. So, we’re trying to do that. I’ve also been building a relationship with [veteran offensive tackle] Nate Solder actually. He reached out to me. Obviously, he’s a man of faith, so that’s something that’s big for me, just him inviting me to be part of bible studies, something that I want to do and stuff like that. Just trying to get to know the guys.”

The fact that Nate reached out to Thomas is a positive sign, as healthy competition can be great for every party. With the competitiveness in the NFL, sometimes bad blood can be spilled, but this seems to be a different circumstance.

Thomas can undoubtedly learn from the veteran tackle who has struggled in his personal life the past few years. His son has dealt with cancer, surely distracting him from his responsibilities in the NFL, justifiably.

The fact that he is willing to reach out and help Thomas connect with the team is a positive sign. That’s a reason the Giants still have faith in the former New England tackle.

Hopefully, Joe Judge and his coaching staff can find a way to incorporate both players on offense, whether it be Solder at right tackle and Thomas at left or vice-versa. Continuity on the offensive line is a necessity moving forward.