The New York Giants will proceed toward the 2020 season without their starting offensive tackle. Veteran Nate Solder elected to opt-out of the 2020 season due to family issues, specifically in the cancer department.
Solder endured his own bout with cancer, and his child is now battling through treatments. Making the decision to opt-out was a difficult one, but at the same time, it never was. The Giants instituted their full support behind Solder, who put his family before football, as all players should.
However, the football consequences will be tough to compensate for. The Giants will now rely on fourth overall pick Andrew Thomas to lock down the left tackle position, most likely, and potentially Cameron Flemingor Nick Gates on the right side. Some might argue that Fleming should start left tackle and Thomas on the right side.
What will the New York Giants do with their new-found cash?
The Giants did save $9.9 million in cap space from Solder opting out. However, head coach Joe Judge indicated that they are not rushing to spend the money as it would roll over to the 2021 season as extra cap. Spending the money now would be a negative thing in some ways, potentially taking reps away from younger players who need development.
“We’ll always make the best decision for the team,†coach Joe Judge said on Friday. “We don’t feel right now that we have money burning a hole in our pocket. We just know there is a little bit more for us in the cap space right now.â€
Nonetheless, it does offer a bit more flexibility if a player gets injured and the Giants need to make a move. They have about $16 million in cap available to spend, but with a relatively full squad, I don’t imagine the Giants will spend any lucrative money on a free agent.
Of course, the big names like Jadeveon Clowney and Logan Ryan have hit the rumor mill, as the Giants could theoretically afford them. However, there is no need to make any rash decisions.