NY Giants agree to restructure Nate Solder’s contract
The NY Giants made the necessary move on Saturday, agreeing to restructure the contract of veteran offensive tackle Nate Solder.
News of Solder and the Giants agreeing to restructure was first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Solder, 33, was set to count $16.5 million against the salary cap in 2021 and intends on playing this season after opting out of the 2020 campaign due to COVID-19 concerns and to protect his young son from potentially contracting the virus.
Lowering Solder’s cap number was essential to the NY Giants this offseason, as New York currently sits with just $2.49 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
Prior to Saturday, Solder was also set to count $14 million against the cap in 2022, the final season remaining on his deal, a figure that is bound to drop as part of a potential long-term extension.
Since signing with the NY Giants, as the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league — at the time, Solder has been wildly inconsistent on the field, but a consummate and respected locker room leader off of it.
In 2019, his most recent season, Solder allowed 11 sacks and 56 total pressures in 1,011 offensive snaps. Solder’s struggles in 2019 largely motivated the NY Giants to select offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Now that Solder is set to return, he is the likely favorite to start at right tackle for the NY Giants this season, opposite Thomas, as part of what the organization hopes are the bookends of a rebuilt offensive line.
Next. Giants cap space, roster breakdown, and needs ahead of free agency. dark
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.