The New York Giants have several difficult contract decisions to make this offseason and their toughest may not be the one containing impending free agent defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
The Giants have a Nate Solder problem. The left tackle was grossly overpaid in free agency two years ago and his play has been inconsistent at best to put it kindly. The team’s options with Solder are limited, however.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report explains the pickle the Giants are in with Solder.
Can they actually pay Nate Solder $19.5 million?
That’s the left tackle’s projected 2020 cap hit, which is the highest in the NFL at that position. That’s far from ideal considering that the New York Giants are still rebuilding and that Solder will turn 32 in April.
The nine-year veteran hasn’t missed on start in two seasons with the Giants, but he was often nothing more than a turnstile for Daniel Jones in 2019, and his poor Pro Football Focus grade (64.7) reflected that.
The problem is the Giants owe Solder $13 million in dead-cap money and there are no obvious replacements on the roster. They might figure that with oodles of cap space, they’re better off maintaining continuity in front of Jones as he enters his first full season as a starter.
And an extension should probably be off the table, which means the Giants might feel obligated to pay Solder $26 million between now and his seemingly inevitable release in a year’s time.
In short, the Giants are stuck with Solder — for now. The best case scenario is to find a left tackle this offseason and move Solder to the right side, but that could weaken them on that side of the line. They truly need upgrades at both tackle positions.
The question becomes, can the Giants do something to re-work Solder’s contract so that he’s not eating up as much cap space? Time will tell.
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