New York Giants: Nate Solder The Most Overpaid OT In The League?

New York Giants, Nate Solder
Aug 9, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Nate Solder (76) blocks in front of quarterback Eli Manning (10) during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It’s just about fact that the New York Giants are overpaying offensive tackle Nate Solder. The team took a risk on making him the highest paid tackle in the league and at this point in time, that risk hasn’t paid off. Few are looking forward to seeing Solder return to a starting position for another season after a rough debut year with the Giants, and the word is that Solder might have to move to another position on the line due to Andrew Thomas coming in to start at the left tackle spot.

In other words, Solder definitely has a bad contract. But is it the worse one in the league, at any position? CBS Sports thinks so, according to a recent article.

Nate Solder, the most overpaid in the league?

The article makes the point that while the Giants made Solder the highest paid offensive lineman in the league, they also moved to draft a tackle in the top five almost immediately after. The Giants wouldn’t have done that if Solder performed at left tackle, and according to the article, it’s part of the evidence that Solder is the most overpaid player not just on the Giants but in the league as a whole.

When the Giants made Nate Solder the highest-paid left tackle in NFL history back in 2018, they were probably hoping that his play would justify his pay, but that simply hasn’t been the case. Solder has been so bad that he might actually go down as one of the free agent busts in NFL history. If you watched any highlights of the Giants from 2019, you may have noticed that Daniel Jones was almost always running for his life. A big reason for that is because of Solder’s struggles: The left tackle surrendered 11 sacks last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

A position change, possibly to right tackle, looks to be in the future of Solder. At the very least, he’ll have to compete with Andrew Thomas – and Thomas, of course, is a rookie. Normally, a rookie wouldn’t compete immediately with a player that’s recently signed such a large deal.

But this isn’t a normal circumstance. Thanks to Solder’s play last season, the Giants are already looking at other options.

However, Solder is still the team’s highest paid player in spite of this. He’s making more than Leonard Williams, more than Saquon Barkley or Golden Tate, and more than the pricey new addition Blake Martinez, all while offering less production than all of them.

The verdict? Saying that Solder is the most overpaid player in the league isn’t an understatement. Despite the high cost the Giants paid to get him, they’re already trying to move on at left tackle, and that shows the Giants are getting a terrible value for the price they’re paying.