The Giants entered the preliminary stages of their off-season planning without knowing whether Nate Solder, his imposing offensive tackle, wanted to return to the game or whether his year away from football would lead him to retirement.
As soon as Solder decided he wanted to return, the Giants began work on restructuring his contract so that his return made sense within the limits of his salary cap.
For several days, a new deal was underway, and the Giants were confident that Solder would reach an agreement. A deal is now in the books, and while it is a financial blow to Solder, it saves the Giants $ 6 million in their salary cap for 2021, the Post confirmed.
Solder was scheduled to earn $ 10 million in salary, and the cut reduces that to around $ 4 million, including some bonus money. He will be 33 next month.
Solder started all 32 games as a left tackle in his first two years with the Giants, after signing a $ 62 million contract for four years that, for a time, made him the highest-paid offensive striker in the NFL. He opted out of the 2020 season, citing concerns from COVID-19, as his kindergarten-age son is undergoing cancer treatment and Solder himself has had testicular cancer.
Solder’s original contract made him have $ 16.5 million in this year’s salary cap, which was never going to happen. With a salary of $ 4 million and $ 10.5 million in prorated bonuses, the limit reached by Solder has been reduced to $ 10.5 million.
The pay cut is proportional to what is likely to be a change of role. The Giants caught Andrew Thomas with the 4th choice in the NFL 2020 Draft and, after a year of debuting ups and downs, he will continue to be their initial left tackle. The Giants hope that Matt Peart, a choice in the third round last year, will emerge as his starting right in his second season. If this is the case, Solder will provide insurance on the list as a backup balance device.
If Peart can’t handle the starting role, or if Solder simply wins, Solder moves as the starting right tackle, a position he hasn’t played since his debut year in 2011 with the Patriots.
It remains to be seen what a year away from football did for Solder, a six-foot-five-foot athlete who had his share of bumps and bruises in 2018 and 2019, although he never missed a start. The Giants have a new offensive line coach at Rob Sale, although their offensive line assistant coach Ben Wilkerson returns and is familiar with his two-year-old Solder with the Giants.
The Giants made official the previously reported signings of DT Austin Johnson and WR CJ Board and announced the rehiring of long snapper Casey Kreiter.