Nate Solder May Have to Accept Pay Cut to Return to Giants

Nate Solder – © USA TODAY Sports

NATE SOLDER MAY HAVE TO ACCEPT PAY CUT TO RETURN TO GIANTS…
New York Giants left tackle Nate Solder, who sat out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, has reportedly told ESPN that he would like to return to the team in 2021. However, the NFL Network is also reporting that the Giants intend to ask Solder to re-structure his contract. How those talks go may determine if Solder remains with the team.

The 32-year old Solder is currently scheduled to make $9.9 million in base salary in both 2021 and 2022 and will cost $16.5 million against the 2021 salary cap. If the Giants cut him before June 1st, the team will take a $10.5 million cap hit and “save” $6 million in cap space. If they designate him a post-June 1st cut, the team will “save” $10 million in 2021 but push a $4 million of the $10.5 million dead money into 2022.

Solder was replaced in 2021 by the team’s 2021 1st-round draft pick, Andrew Thomas.

In March 2018, the Giants made Solder the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL when they signed him away from the New England Patriots as unrestricted free agent. However, despite 32 straight starts at left tackle for New York, Solder has not lived up to his contract, struggling at times at the position. The 6’8”, 325-pound Solder was drafted in the 1st round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Patriots.

GIANTS CUT TWO PLAYERS…
The New York Giants have waived wide receiver Da’Mari Scott and cornerback Shakial Taylor, two players who opted out of the 2020 NFL season due to COVID-19 concerns.

Scott was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns waived him in December 2018 and he was then signed by the Bills. The Giants claimed Scott off of waivers from the Buffalo Bills in July 2019. They waived him in August but Scott spent time on both the team’s Practice Squad and 53-man roster during the 2019 season. In all, Scott played in five games with two starts. He finished the year with just two catches for 22 yards. He also returned four kickoffs (27.5 yards per return) and six punts (5.3 yards per return).

The Giants claimed Shakial Taylor off of waivers from the Denver Broncos in late July 2020 and attempted to waive him a few days later. However, Taylor requested a COVID-19 opt-out and spent the year on the team’s Reserve/Covid-19 Opt-Out List. Taylor was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Indianapolis Colts after the 2019 NFL Draft. He was then claimed off of waivers by the Broncos in November 2019.