 Right Tackle – Who Will Win The Job?
If Nate Solder did not opt-out of the 2020 NFL season, he would have been a shoo-in for the right tackle position. If he did not have the right tackle position, he likely would have started at left tackle and rookie Andrew Thomas would have moved over to the right side. Now, with Nate Solder no longer participating in the 2020 season, there is looming uncertainty over the right tackle position.
Among the players that will compete for the job include Nick Gates, Cameron Fleming, and Matt Peart.
Nick Gates started two games at right tackle for the Giants in 2019. He also started one game at right guard. Gates allowed just 9 pressures in 191 pass-blocking snaps in 2019 (PFF). The expectation was for Gates to compete for the starting center position this season, despite never playing a snap at center before. But now, with a shortage at right tackle, he could compete for that position, too.
The Giants signed Cameron Fleming this offseason to play as the team’s swing tackle and potentially fill in as a depth piece at right tackle. Now it seems most likely that he will be the starting right tackle in Week One.
Prior to the Nate Solder opt-out news, Matt Peart was unlikely to see any action in 2020. Now, with one less offensive tackle on the roster, that could change. Matt Peart could potentially see some playing time at some point in the season as the second or third-string right tackle.